VIGO – Exploring the Role of Visuality in Governance

Project Information

VIGO

Grant agreement ID: 101024772

DOI

10.3030/101024772

Project closed

EC signature date 16 April 2021

Start date 1 February 2022

End date 1 February 2026

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 273 687,36

EU contribution

€ 273 687,36

Coordinated by

KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
Denmark

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - VIGO (VIGO – Exploring the Role of Visuality in Governance)

Reporting period: 2022-02-01 to 2024-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

VIGO is a study of how visuality affects governance. The project builds on the idea that visuality creates and shares social meaning, thereby shaping governance – intended as the conceptual representation of change in underlying social systems and the efforts to manage or steer the effects of these changes. The VIGO project addresses the significant but understudied impact of visual representations on governance, through the lens of migration governance. With the rise of visual media, images have become central in shaping perceptions and policies concerning critical issues such as the migration crisis, evident in viral images of migrant boats and refugees. This issue is vital for society because visuals rapidly communicate complex situations, evoking empathy, solidarity, and sometimes even fear, thereby influencing public sentiment and policy decisions. Indeed, as the adage goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Yet, surprisingly, scant research has been devoted to understanding the effect that visual representation has on governance. This is precisely where ‘VIGO – Exploring the Role of Visuality in Governance’ aims to produce crucial insights. By adopting a comparative multi-scalar and multi-modal methodology, the project is the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive analysis of the role of visuality in (migration) governance. The project looks at the visual governance of migration in Europe and Canada, which is high on the agenda of political debate, policymaking, and media discourse in both (and beyond). In doing so, VIGO has three key objectives:
• Contribute to theory-building by conceptualizing visual governance. By bringing the literature on visuality into conversation with literature on governance, VIGO seeks to offer a novel theoretical approach to think about the powerful role of images in systems of international government today.
• Explore the role of visuality in governance at the macro, meso and micro levels across two geographic areas. This project will provide in-depth empirical insight into the interconnection of visuality and governance, shedding light on the role of three typologies of actors located at different levels of governance.
• Test innovative methodological approaches in International Relations. By adopting a multi-modal and multi-scalar approach, VIGO uses the latest methodological developments in the social science to enable a fine-grained investigation of governance processes.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Throughout the reporting period, the fellow has diligently advanced the goal of contributing to theory building by conceptualizing visual governance. Dr Massari has progressed her work in integrating the literature on visuality with the existing body of knowledge on governance. Within the framework of VIGO, the project aspires to introduce a groundbreaking theoretical approach that examines the profound influence of images within contemporary systems of international governance. Notably, significant progress has been made towards this objective, including the creation of a comprehensive working paper that establishes the theoretical foundation for studying the impact of images in migration governance. The fellow also successfully organized an international workshop and fellow presented three papers at international conferences. The theory-building work on the conceptualization of visual governance has been exploited in academic papers, policy brief, and journal contributions.
During the reporting period, the fellow has made substantial progress in advancing the objective of exploring the role of visuality in governance at the macro, meso and micro levels across Europe and Canada. At the macro level, the research has focused on examining the visual aspects of government institutions in these regions. At the meso level, Dr. Massari has extended the analysis to encompass museums and media representations, providing a more comprehensive perspective. Additionally, at the micro level, research efforts have delved into the work of migrant artists and the pivotal role their artwork plays within the intricate landscape of migration governance.
Throughout the reporting period, the fellow has actively pursued the objective of testing innovative methodological approaches in the field of International Relations, which is a central facet of the VIGO project. Embracing a multi-modal and multi-scalar methodology, VIGO has harnessed the latest methodological advancements in the social sciences to facilitate a meticulous examination of governance processes. This approach has been concretely realized through the creation of a comprehensive working paper that puts forth a novel methodological framework for the study of images and their significance in the context of migration governance. Additionally, a rich visual dataset has been developed using NVivo. In parallel with these endeavors, the fellow is also exploring new methodologies for the study of migration, such as future studies methodologies, to further enhance the project's analytical capabilities and contribute to the broader understanding of migration dynamics and governance in a rapidly changing global context.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The VIGO project is progressing in its theoretical conceptualization of the notion of “visual Governance”, a concept that will go beyond the state of the art in migration governance and international relations literature in order to indicate under what conditions and how images play a role in global governance.
Expected results by the project's conclusion include a deeper understanding of visuality's role in governance across diverse refugee situations contributing significantly to academic discourse. Until the end of the project, Dr Massari aims to finalize the publication of the articles submitted in the top-tier journals, the publication and dissemination of a policy brief and 3 videos for both targeted and wide dissemination, the editing of a Special Issue and further research and paper development, with Dr. Massari currently working on two new papers.
The project's developments promise substantial contributions to both academic knowledge and practical governance strategies, contributing to the scholarly and practitioners discourse on migration governance through the understanding of visual governance. The wider societal implications include influencing how visuals shape public opinion and policy, potentially leading to more informed and ethical responses to refugee crises.
A critical progression in the project has been the partnership with TMU, which promises to extend international collaboration and academic networking beyond the current phase. This includes ongoing efforts with Prof. Triandafyllidou co-editing a Special Issue, continued cooperation on research projects initiated in Canada, contributing to workshops at the CERC in Migration and Integration, and continuing writing papers with TMU colleagues.
The acquired skills from managing VIGO are set to enhance future grant application capabilities, indicating a broadening of research capacity and ambition. Plans are underway to pursue an ERC starting grant in fall 2024, showcasing the project's forward momentum and the researcher's commitment to continued academic excellence.

VIGO image - Summary for publication