Silenced Narratives and the Construction of Mediated Discourses of Migration and Statelessness in the Dominican Republic

• In Event: Representaciones discursivas de migrantes

Abstract

Modern examinations of Dominican Republic studies are lacking in larger scholarly discussions. Why is that? A two pronged approach to this and other questions starts first with theoretical thinking through a comparative lens around the notion of ‘silences’ in the Dominican Republic. We ask how the intersection of history and journalism inform public understanding of local and national mediated narratives of topics historically shrouded in silence? Rooted in our study abroad experiences for our course titled Social Justice in Hispaniola, this research is part of a larger work that examines narratives of denial and those of intractable realities, mediated information and explanations about migration and statelessness in the Dominican Republic. The topic is of particular interest in regions where issues related to border conflicts, migration and statelessness conflate the knowledge gap.

We begin with the traditional question of ‘silence.’ Secondly, we engage with praxis. How do communities circumvent enforced or self-imposed silences through an examination of narratives about sanctioned and unsanctioned worlds? Parallel studies of history and journalism combine to examine pressing issues of race relations, social justice, violence, media freedom, border relations, migration, statelessness, public health and environmental justice in the Caribbean nation.

Our research applies a cultural and comparative lens to examine how the mediated construction of local and national news about migration and statelessness exacerbates gaps in public understanding. The conclusions suggest that news reporting must adopt innovative practices and routines that will more accurately communicate the silenced histories.

Author

• Paola Prado, Roger Williams University