NC Research Symposium Draft (Sills Edits 11-16-07) NEW

8/14/2019 NC Research Symposium Draft (Sills Edits 11-16-07) NEW

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A Visual Analysis of NorthCarolinas Immigrant

CommunitiesJennifer Horton

Sociology DepartmentFaculty Mentor: Dr. Stephen J. Sills

2007 State of North Carolina Undergraduate Researchand Creativity Symposium (SNCURCS)Saturday November 17, 2007


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Images. They are so compellingthat we cannot notwatch them.

They are so seductive that theyhave revolutionized humansocial communication. Oral andwritten communication are indecline because a new form of

communication, communicationby image, has emerged.

Power of Images:

Creating the Myths of Our Time

By J. Francis Davis

Recent Greensboro News and Record

image depicting Muslim women as

Jihadists.


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Introduction

North Carolina: home to large populations of: Latinos

Africans

Southeast Asians

Visual Sociology: interdisiplinary methods Studies immigrant, refugee, and transnational communities

as depicted by local media (Greensboro News & Record)


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Project Goals

This goals of the project are to:

(1) build a database of images of migrants from thelocal popular press (eventually to span 1965 topresent);

(2) analyze the database looking for themes andnarratives in the portrayal of migrants;

(3) observe any changes over time in the portrayal ofmigrants; and

(4) present the results in an online multi-mediapresentation as well as eventually in a journal articleformat.


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Data Collection Methods

The Greensboro News and Recordwas used as the primary data

source. Using the microfiche collectionof the Jackson Library

Saving photographs to flashdrive

Uploaded to Flickr.com-tagging-grouping


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A database of over 165 images was constructed for

the period Sept. 2001 to Dec. 2006.


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Image Processing

Images were uploaded to a Flickr account andtagged or coded.

Flickr: Easy indexing and searching Quick descriptive information Allows searching of tag intersection and

overlapping

FLICKR.COM
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13940206@N07/sets/72157603088194244/http://www.flickr.com/photos/13940206@N07/sets/72157603088194244/


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Coding Images (aka Tagging)

Connotation - The first level of coding consideredthe intended message of the photographer, thetopic of interest in the photo, and theaccompanying story.

Denotation - The second coding process lookedreflexively at the subtext or unintendedmessages including: relative social/political power of migrants, gendering

of migrants, apparent stratification withincommunity, the evident social/cultural factors,othering or exoticizing of foreigners, and thereinforcement of social stereotypes.


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Codes (Tags)


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Finding: Images occur sporadically or aroundsignificant immigration-related events

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006


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Some photographers were morerepresented than others

Kim Walker (12)

Lynn Hey (10)

H. Scott Hoffman (9)

Joseph Rodriguez (7)

Nelson Kepley (7)

The photograph isultimately an extension

of the photographer notof the technology andtechnique of

photography.

Clem Adelman 1998. PhotocotextChapter 10 in Image-based Research: ASourcebook for Qualitative Researchers

Jon Prosser (ed)


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Major Themes

Hispanic male laborers (n=8) and soldiersin US military (n=6).


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Exoticized Others & CulturalVoyeurism

Hispanics are often shown in occupationalsettings. Other migrants (particularly Asians)are shown practicing traditional culture


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Discussion

Post 9/11 Media Depiction ofMigrants:

While much of the

recent political debate hasdepicted migrants as a threat tothe country, only a few of the

images or stories in the local presshave related immigrants toconcerns over the safety andsecurity of the country.

Hispanic soldier pro-

tecting the Golden Gate

Bridge from potentialterrorist attacks.
http://teamtancredo.org/http://teamtancredo.org/


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Most often images

of immigrants inthe local paperhave dealt with

their struggle forincorporation intothe community


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Conclusions

Stereotypical depictions: The low-wage worker (dangerous, dirty, difficult

jobs), the ESL student, the protest marcher, and theexotic other

Hispanics: As the largest immigrant group they are depicted the

most

April May 2006

Images are used to depict important current events. By the shear number of images from this period, wecan tell that the immigrants rights marches were asignificant event.


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The next step

Next we will continue the process of collecting imagespre-2001.

Initially we would like to compare the major themesfound post 9/11 against those of 1996 to 2001 to see theeffect 9/11 has had on the way in which immigrants aredepicted.

We will continue collecting images (with the assistanceof students in a special Honors course at UNCG) untilwe have assembled a database covering 1965 to present.

We may then begin comparing the Greensboro Newsand Record against regional papers in other areas oragainst national papers like the Washington Post or theNew York Times.

NC Research Symposium Draft (Sills Edits 11-16-07) NEW

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