Manus to Meanjin: a case study of refugee migration, polymorphic borders and Australian ‘imperialism’
File version
Author(s)
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
Size
File type(s)
Location
License
Abstract
This non-traditional research article argues that the refugee and asylum-seeker protests in Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point between April 2, 2020 and April 14, 2021 can be viewed against a backdrop of Australian colonialism—where successive Australian governments have used former colonies in Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea as offshore detention facilities—as a dumping ground for asylum-seekers. Within the same context this article argues that the men’s removal to the Kangaroo Point Alternative Place of Detention is a continuation of this colonial policy of incarcerating ‘undesirables’ on occupied land, in this case on Meanjin—Jagera land identified by the colonial name of Brisbane. This extension of Australian sub-imperial and neo-colonial dominion and the imagining of its boundaries is viewed though the theoretical prism of a polymorphic border, a border that shifts and morphs depending on who attempts to cross it. In a departure from orthodox research practice, this article will use visual storytelling drawn from photojournalism praxis alongside more traditional text-based research prose. In doing so, it will use photo-journalistic artifacts and the visual politics that surround them, as core dialogical components in the presentation of the article as opposed to using them as mere illustrations or props.
Journal Title
Pacific Journalism Review : Te Koakoa
Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
27
Issue
1 & 2
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Pacific Peoples literature, journalism and professional writing
Political science
Human geography
asylum seekers
Australia
case studies
human rights journalism
Nauru
Papua New Guinea
photojournalism
polymorphic borders,
refugees
research methodologies
storytelling
visual politics
visual storytelling
Persistent link to this record
Citation
Ubayasiri, K, Manus to Meanjin: a case study of refugee migration, polymorphic borders and Australian ‘imperialism’, Pacific Journalism Review : Te Koakoa, 27 (1 & 2), pp. 269-282