Beyond Vicarious Storytelling: How Level Telling Fields Could Help Create a Fair Narrative on Migration

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Migration Studies
• Ethics

Background:

• Life stories are central to migration discourse in journalism, NGOs, and collaborative writing.
• Using migrants' experiences can create ethical dilemmas, potentially marginalizing them and perpetuating stereotypes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To distinguish between "stories of migration" (migrant-controlled) and "narratives on migration" (external perspectives).
• To explore hybrid storytelling forms and their ethical implications.
• To introduce the concept of "level telling fields" (LTFs) for equitable dialogue.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis differentiating narrative types.
• Exploration of ethical considerations in vicarious storytelling.
• Application of the economic "level playing field" metaphor to create "level telling fields" (LTFs).

Main Results:

• Identifies a spectrum from migrant-authored "stories of migration" to external "narratives on migration."
• Highlights ethical challenges in hybrid or vicarious storytelling approaches.
• Proposes LTFs as a framework for fair, transdisciplinary dialogue.

Conclusions:

• Ethical storytelling with migrants requires moving beyond passive representation.
• LTFs offer a model for creating inclusive and equitable communicative spaces in research and practice.
• Empowering migrants' voices is crucial for authentic migration discourse.