The refugee influx into Europe - but also Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey - has created a crisis of epic proportions. How are media covering this complex topic?
Giles Duley, an independent British documentary photographer and photojournalist, is one of several prominent speakers who will address that question in the panel discussion "Covering the Refugee Crisis", set to be held on Monday, 21 March, at the IPI World Congress in Doha.
Duley, 44, began his career as a fashion and music photographer before moving on to document the work of NGOs and the lasting effects of war on people across the globe. His work has appeared in many respected publications, including Vogue, GQ, Esquire and Rolling Stone, and exhibited in prestigious venues.
In 2011, he began his long-term project, "Legacy of War, which documents the long-term physical and psychological effects of conflict on civilians and communities. The same year, he lost both his legs and an arm after stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED) while patrolling with U.S. troops on a photo assignment. He was told he would never walk again and that his career was over.
But after 37 surgical operations and over a year in hospital, Duley was back in the field, returning to Afghanistan in October 2012 to continue his project. His return was the feature of an award-winning Channel 4 documentary, "Walking Wounded: Return to the Frontline". So far, Duley's work on "Legacy of War" has led him to Lebanon, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Gaza and Northern Ireland, and the project is ultimately expected to encompass approximately 14 countries.
In October 2015, Duley started working on an assignment for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), documenting the refugee crisis across Europe and the Middle East, which he sees as part of his larger project of covering the consequences of conflict on people.
IPI spoke with Duley about his project, "Legacy of War", his work with the UNHCR, and his thoughts about media coverage of the crisis.
IPI: What was your reaction when the UNHCR asked you to document the refugee crisis for them?
Duley: We had been talking for a while about collaborating on a project, but for various reasons that opportunity hadn't arisen. When they approached me about covering the refugee crisis, I really had little hesitation. It's one of the most significant stories to happen through my career, and nothing really has felt as important, work-wise. My only concern was how independent I would be. I don't like to do commissions. However, the UNHCR were clear from the beginning that I would have the freedom to tell the story as I thought best. In fact it was probably one of the best briefs a photographer has ever been given. They just said: "Follow your heart."
IPI: How does this assignment tie in with your broader project, "Legacy of War"?
Duley: It very much ties in. My focus at the moment is "Legacy of War", a project that looks at the long-term impact of conflict on communities and individuals around the world. What we are witnessing right now, is the birth of a legacy. Those fleeing Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan will not return home for many years. Many may never go back. Their lives, the lives of their children and grand-children will be shaped by what's happening now.
IPI: How have your experiences covering the refugee crisis differed from your previous work?
Duley: Really it's just a continuation of my previous work. I've always been interested in telling the stories of individuals caught up in events such as the refugee crisis. When we are overwhelmed by statistics and political rhetoric we can sometimes lose sight of the human cost, the human stories. That focus on individuals feels particularly important and relevant in this crisis. When politicians refer to hordes and swarms and papers cry out about a million refugees entering Europe, we must remember these are individuals; these statistics represent people's lives and futures.
IPI: What do you make of the media coverage we have seen on this issue?
Duley: It's a difficult one to answer. There has been some wonderful, in-depth analysis and documentary; but there has also been some terrible reactionary sensationalism. It's unusual for the kind of issues I cover to be front page tabloid material. It's one of the most interesting and at times challenging aspects of this crisis - I've covered conflicts from South Sudan to Afghanistan - but it's the first time a story I'm working on is so much part of daily conversation. It's a topic everybody has an opinion on and crops up so often in the media and general conversation. In many ways that's great, we should be talking about it, but it's a framework that's different.
IPI: The way the media covers the refugee crisis - for example their use of the terms "migrants", "refugees" and "asylum seekers" - can greatly influence society's reactions to the crisis. In what way can photographs influence society's perceptions and opinions?
Duley: Again, it's so hard to answer this question in a few lines. Terminology, photography, social media have been used by people on both sides of the argument - often incorrectly and often irresponsibly. Of course the way the media reports on the story will affect public opinion, but more importantly is the way politicians use the crisis and likewise the incredible power of social media. I think my role is as witness, to be in these places, to talk about what I see. I can only show what I see, and I hope that helps some to form more balanced opinions.
IPI: Do you think the death of the three-year-old Syrian boy Alan Kurdi and the publication of photographs of his body on a beach in Turkey was a turning point in how the media is covering the story?
Duley: Naturally, there is a lot of reference to the image of Alan Kurdi's body on the beach. It was an image that really brought this issue to the fore and engaged a lot more people in the debate as to how Europe should respond to the crisis. It was certainly a significant moment. But looking back, is the media covering the story in a different way now to how it was before that image appeared? I don't think significantly so.
IPI: Do you see a certain news fatigue setting in and can photographs help offset this issue?
Duley: Of course. We live in a society that gets fatigued easily - it's always looking for the next big thing, the next story, the next celebrity. It's a fast world that quickly loses concentration, so of course it's hard to keep people interested in a story like this, especially as the crisis can in many ways be static. For example in Lebanon, refugees have been living in the same circumstance for over four years - so how do you keep telling that same story and still engage audiences?
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It's hard, but I think it means as photographers and journalists, we have to respond and work harder ourselves. It's not easy, but it's important. Rather than complain about news fatigue and blame it on the audiences, we must strive to find ways to engage. It's our responsibility, not that of the viewer.
IPI: Recently, the British trip hop group Massive Attack used your images in concerts on their European tour. What do you hope to achieve by collaborating with musicians and other artists?
Duley: There is no point telling a story, if people aren't listening. For me making a photograph is only one part of my job, I have to make sure people see it. Most especially, I want to engage with new audiences, those who may not normally hear these stories.
IPI: After covering the crisis in Greece, what are your next stops?
Duley: I started the project in Lesvos. Since then, the European journey has taken me across Europe - Greece, Macedonia, Germany, France, Finland. Now my work is focussed where the need is greatest, and the stories often less told, the countries bordering Syria: Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey.
