Rehumanising Refugees: Translating Personal Narratives of Crisis

Amid increased global migration movements due to violence and crises, asylum seekers are often portrayed in the media in a depersonalised and negative way. However, refugee advocacy organisations across the globe provide a platform for asylum seekers to engage in activities that help them integrate into the local community, including sharing their personal narratives through the use of community translation. This presentation investigates asylum seekers’ life stories included in cookbooks and graphic novels. The analysis reveals how these spaces can serve as tools for translation and intercultural mediation allowing asylum seekers to communicate their culture and negotiate their place in the local community, thus helping establish meaningful connections with the local population.