Human Migration

"Art provides an important and powerful means of expression for migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. Trials and traumas of migration including perilous journeys, arduous asylum-seeking processes, and immigration detention, on top of the conflict, insecurity, and persecution prompting migration, put refugees under considerable physical and emotional stress. Many refugees and asylum seekers live in constant fear of deportation to the countries they have fled, which could mean facing uncertain danger, or worry about the families they have left behind. While far from a solution to today's global refugee crisis of unprecedented proportions, art can be a powerful outlet to communicate the struggles, experiences, and hope of refugees." Source: TeleSURtv.net - "Stories of Migration: Images of Exile and Hope in Refugee Art."

Ready to learn?  These well-researched and passionate talks offer information, ideas, advice and inspiration.

Melissa Fleming: A boat carrying 500 refugees sunk at sea. The story of two survivors. (19:15)

As head of communications for the UN's High Commissioner for Refugees, Melissa Fleming sheds light on their devastating plight and remarkable resilience. "Aboard an overloaded ship carrying more than 500 refugees, a young woman becomes an unlikely hero. This single, powerful story, told by Melissa Fleming of the UN's refugee agency, gives a human face to the sheer numbers of human beings trying to escape to better lives ... as the refugee ships keep coming ... "

Dilip Ratha: The hidden force in global economics: sending money home.

Economist Dilip Ratha was the first to analyze the global significance of remittances — money sent from foreign workers to their families back home. In 2013, international migrants sent $413 billion home to families and friends — three times more than the total of global foreign aid (about $135 billion). This money, known as remittances, makes a significant difference in the lives of those receiving it and plays a major role in the economies of many countries. Economist Dilip Ratha describes the promise of these “dollars wrapped with love” and analyzes how they are stifled by practical and regulatory obstacles.  Download update report: Ratha published an update on Migration and Remittances  in Oct. 2015 for WorldBank.

The Films on Demand (FOD) database contains thousands of films and film clip segments on many topics. Films can be streamed and viewed in their entirety or by segment, making them ideal for presentations. You can create a private and free user account to keep track of favorites and to create playlists. Only STLCC students, faculty and staff have access to Films on Demand.

You can search Films on Demand by using keywords in the search box, and then choosing one of these three options: film title, segment or transcript . You can also navigate FOD by topic. One way to find information on the Middle East and North Africa is to click on Collections at the top of the page, and then on Area Studies. From there, choose North Africa (under African Studies) or Middle East (under Asia & The Pacific).  

The FOD and other databases offered by STLCC Libraries are accessible from any campus computer and by logging into the database from off campus (help in connecting from home).