The Language of Migration - Australia

In August 2016, the Guardian Australia published a damning

investigative article titled “The Nauru Files." The
journalists chronicled significant human rights abuses of
asylum seekers on the island of Nauru.
The report won three Media Peace Awards from the United
Nation Association of Australia.
The investigative report reignited debate in Australia about
asylum seekers, the Australian government’s response to
them, and the conditions in detention centers on the
islands of Nauru and Manus.
Australia has a mandatory detention policy
for refugees and asylum seekers arriving to
Australia by boat
1.  Wikipedia: "Immigration Detention in Australia" is
2.  The Guardian Australia:  This is the original article that brought intense pressure on the
Australian government for their detention policies.  
3.  The Atlantic: an online article explaining the history (somewhat) of Australia's policies.
4.  Facebook: "Free the Children Nauru" is a page that has a very specific agenda

1.  List 7 things you learned from reading the various

sources. 
2.  How objective did you find each source?  Why?  What
reading was most objective?
3.  Do you trust the sources?  Why? 
4.  What biases or angle did you find in the sources?  How
did that influence your reading of them?
Australia has a mandatory detention policy
for refugees and asylum seekers arriving to
Australia by boat
1.  How have NGO's, politicians, newspapers, social
media, individuals, and the Australian government
used language and images to persuade others of
their opinion on this policy? 
2.  Who has been most effective and why?  How do
you define effective? 
1.  What word or words stand out to you?  Why?
2.  What image does this headline present?  Why?
3.  What stance is CNN promoting?  How did you come to that
conclusion?
4.  What's the tone of this headline?  Provide evidence for your
claim.
1.  What word or words stand out to you?  Why?
2.  How has The Huffington Post Australia used quotation
marks and to what effect?
3.  What stance are they promoting?  How did you come to that
conclusion?
4.  What headline was more effective (CNN or this one)?  Why?
Public Service Announcement

1. How does the PSA use both image and language

to impact the viewer?

2. In your opinion, are the words or the images

more powerful? Why? Provide evidence, reasons,
counterclaims, and rebuttals for your claim.
Interview Panel
1. The moderator begins with some facts and then she goes
into a hypothetical situation. Was it an effective
introduction? Why?
2. Why are people calling it "Guantanamo for asylum seekers”?
3. Why does Victoria speak out? How does she initially present
her case/claim(s)? Discuss her word choice in particular. Is
it effective? Why?
4. What image or images does Alana present in her answer?
Why are they so powerful and what effect do they have on
the listener? She also provides specific anecdotes. Why?
What effect do they have on the listener?
Statements by Politicians
Questions:
1.  Pick one or two key words or phrases.  Why are
they most relevant or provoking in your opinion?
2.  What image or images does Turnbull present in
this statement?  How does he achieve this?  What
effect does it have on his audience?
3.  What counterclaims does Turnbull provide to
defend his stance?  Is it an effective counterclaim? 
Why?
4.  How would you depict his tone?  Why?  Provide
evidence and examples for your claim. 
Note: PNG stands for Papua New Guinea where the
Manus Island detention center is located
Social Media Activism
We can no longer just investigate mainstream news sources. Facebook - and
social media more broadly - is huge and their reach is wide. Take a look at
the images on one such Facebook page.

Questions:
1.  What is your initial reaction to these photographs?  Why?
2.  What stylistic and other devices are used to arose pity or other emotions? 
3.  Do these images make you "misty eyed"?  If so, should that matter?  If not, why not?
4.  Is there a cumulative quality to them?  Does seeing more have more of an impact or is one
enough?  Why?
5.  Do the total number of days in detention or the number of missed holidays have a larger
impact on you?  Why?
6.  Does the age or height make a difference in terms of impact?  What about the clothes or
gender?  Why?
7.  What is the role of social media in activism?  Is this effective?  Or is it a part of a
"slacktivist" culture?  Why?
Final Discussion Question
How have the various people, organizations, and
media used language and images to influence you? 
Who was most convincing and why?