Medialogica (English)
A Sea of Images
Nearly 4000 boat refugees died at sea in 2015 during the crossing to Europe. Of only one do we know the name: Aylan Kurdi. On 2 September 2015, the photo of the toddler washed up on the beach of Bodrum goes viral on social media. A day later, it ends up in newspapers worldwide. Media call the photo iconic. Advocates and opponents of a more generous refugee policy try to embrace Aylan as a symbol. What is the meaning of such an image in the refugee debate? Why did this picture become the symbol of the refugee crisis? Who was inspired by this? And who benefited from that?