Between visibility and erasure

The ethics of image in the representation of refugees

Abstract

This article discusses the ethical challenges in representing refugees, especially through the use of images that expose suffering and displacement. Drawing on a theoretical dialogue between Susan Sontag, Judith Butler, Erving Goffman, and Gayatri Spivak, the text analyzes how visual representations can either reinforce stigmas or open up possibilities for the ethical and political recognition of migrant subjects. The contemporary context—marked by the rise of restrictive migration policies and the intensification of forced displacement—makes it urgent to reflect on regimes of visibility and the dynamics of producing otherness. The article argues that the ethics of the image go beyond technical standards and require a reassessment of the power structures that shape who can be seen, heard, and recognized. Representation, therefore, is not neutral: it can serve as a tool for reinforcing subalternity or for constructing narratives that promote listening, dignity, and recognition.