New Books in Sociology Dominic Davies and Candida Rifkind, "Graphic Refuge: Visuality and Mobility in Refugee Comics" (Wilfrid Laurier UP, 2025)
Sep 17, 2025
Dominic Davies, a Reader in English with expertise in postcolonial studies, and Candida Rifkind, a Professor of English specializing in life writing, delve into the rich realm of refugee comics. They discuss how these graphic narratives illuminate the complexities of displacement and challenge conventional perceptions of refugees. Key topics include the innovative storytelling techniques that evoke empathy, the representation of second-generation refugee experiences, and the comics' power to redefine identity and reveal the interplay of trauma and resilience in the face of adversity.
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A Dialogic Coauthoring Method
- Davies and Rifkind used a collaborative method where each wrote alternating chapters and then co‑authored introduction and conclusion.
- This dialogic approach let them combine interdisciplinary perspectives without erasing distinct voices.
Refugee Comics Defined Broadly
- The authors define 'refugee comics' broadly as comics by or about people living in various states of refuge, not just legally recognized refugees.
- They focus on works mostly produced after 2015 to analyze responses to the European 'migrant crisis' and its media politics.
Think In Terms Of Citizen Readers
- The book reframes the intended audience as a 'citizen reader' rather than a vague 'Western reader', centering the citizen/refugee dynamic.
- This reframing highlights how comics target citizens' perceptions and how citizenship itself is stratified by race, religion, gender, and class.
