Suche
Mein Konto
Comics as a voice of hope: stories of escape and home
Professor Dr. Beatrice Schuchardt from the University of Regensburg will lead a lecture series on comics and migration in the summer semester of 2025.
Comics as a voice of hope: stories of escape and home
In recent years, comics and graphic novels have become increasingly important, especially when it comes to depicting migration, flight and identity. Professor Dr. Beatrice Schuchardt, holder of the chair for Spanish and French cultural and literary studies at the University of Regensburg, is planning a lecture series in the summer semester of 2025 that will specifically deal with the imagery and themes of comics and graphic novels from Francophone literature. Her research interest is primarily on migration experiences in various media, including comics.
Comics are more than just children's stories; they are mirrors of social conflicts and historical events. In the last few decades, many artists, such as Art Spiegelman with “Maus” or Marjane Satrapi with “Persepolis”, have taken up the topic of migration. These works deal with flight and migration in a variety of ways and offer those affected a platform to tell their stories. So reported Migration stories that this is also visible in projects such as the “Alphabet of Arrival”, where comics are used to convey the perspectives of people with a migration background.
The role of comics in education
In Germany in particular, comics play an important role in education, especially for refugees. Here, works such as “Fit for the Rule of Law” are used to not only promote linguistic skills, but also to convey social norms and values. In addition, a blog series entitled “Migration History in Pictures” is being created, which will present comics and graphic novels that deal with topics such as escape, arrival and identity.
The power of images makes it possible to make complex experiences and everyday experiences of refugees understandable. Comics offer universal accessibility that communicates across language barriers. Readers can look forward to the various works that deal with experiences and traumas.
Current graphic novels about migration and flight
The diversity of graphic novels that deal with these topics is also reflected in the recently published titles. NDR discusses three works that deal with expulsion and flight in different ways:
| title | Author | Publisher | Price | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kannas | Hanneriina Moisseinen | Avant | 28 euros | Flight of the Finnish residents in 1944 |
| The shimmer of the sea | Adrian Pourviseh | Avant | 26 euros | Encounters with refugees in the Mediterranean |
| Games | Patrick Oberholzer | splinters | 22 euros | Personal stories from refugees from Afghanistan |
“Kannas” deals with the escape of the Finnish residents after the Hitler-Stalin pact of 1939. The protagonists, the shepherdess Maria and the deserter Auvo, experience an emotional journey in a historical setting. “The Shimmering of the Sea” provides an insight into the work of sea rescuers in the Mediterranean and raises awareness of the challenges faced by refugees. “Games” interweaves the personal stories of Afghans with facts and analyzes of asylum policy, making it an important work for schools and decision-makers.
In summary, comics and graphic novels are not only forms of artistic expression, but also convey essential values and experiences of migration, flight and identity. They make it possible to shed light on difficult topics in an accessible way and promote understanding of the complex background of this social challenge.