Brutal Aspects of Migratory Esthetics

Ever since the Second World War, the movement of refugees as well as of those seeking better opportunities for work, for education, or a functional democracy, has dominated headlines, influenced political debates, and shaped elections and referenda. Growing nationalist sentiments and policies are increasingly defined against, and clash with, the free movement of people.

In light of these worldwide tensions, this volume explores aggressive and brutal dimensions of migration through literature, documentary films, feature films, and theater productions. Uncovering deep societal forces behind migratory violence, the contributions reveal that instances of structural and cultural violence are rooted in hidden, yet highly influential and destructive, ideologies.

The authors also provide revelatory glimpses into how artistic productions and scholarly works might be themselves subverting or deconstructing structural and cultural violence against migrants.

Offering a critical yet compassionate examination of our culture heavily influenced by borders, exclusion, terrorism, and resilience, the book primarily serves literary and cultural studies scholars with new perspectives on the intersections of art with structuralist and deconstructivist approaches to migration-related violence but also offers a fresh look at borders and migration-related phenomena for those active in the social and political sciences.