Refugees

The way we imagine “the refugee” has changed. Gone from our public representations are images of the immediate post-war period, featuring proud, close-knit families, ready to begin a new life. Gone, too, are the brave, heroic and talented figures of the Cold War: dancers, athletes and politicians who, in standing up for their political convictions, were forced to flee the Soviet Union for the West. Instead, typical images of refugees today depict desperation and displacement in the global South. We see a large number of malnourished, powerless individuals in tattered clothing. We see women and children seeking protection from events outside their control.