Migration In Picturebooks: Representations, Boundaries, And Narrative Possibilities
The existence of approximately 50 million children affected by forced displacement worldwide has made migration a central and political theme in children’s literature. This book chapter critically examines how migration is represented in picture books from pedagogical, aesthetic, and ideological perspectives. The study demonstrates that contemporary children’s literature has moved away from historical clichés such as the “white savior” and the “helpless refugee,” instead reimagining the migrant child as an active social actor within the framework of Homi Bhabha’s concepts of “hybridity” and the “third space.” Nevertheless, it has been observed that in many works, migrant identity is still depicted as an “exotic other” defined by categorical rather than personal characteristics, and that this diversity remains superficial due to the influence of Western-centric power dynamics. The chapter presents a comparative analysis based on selected corpora from various national literatures, including those of the Middle East, Scandinavia, Latin America, and Turkey. The study also examines the roles of visual strategies -such as color, line, and space- and metaphors like the suitcase, bird, and water in the semiotic construction of meaning. This visual and symbolic narrative power, which transcends the boundaries of written language, enables picture books to function not only as objects of political and aesthetic resistance for children but also for readers of all ages. Consequently, these works hold significant potential for education in democratic citizenship and social justice; however, the full realization of this potential depends on qualified adult mediation that fosters critical literacy.
Kitap Adı:
New Horizons In Children’s Literature: Theory, Representation, And Identity
Atıf Sayısı :
