Visual Tropes of Migration Tell Predictable but Misleading Stories

When mainstream news agencies report on Central American migration, they frequently use a series of visual tropes to turn complex issues into predictable narratives. Editors often select formulaic photographs from subscription news agencies to illustrate stories. Many of these borrow from religious iconography or draw on stereotypes to portray the displaced.
The images shape readers’ understanding of stories, often without their awareness. In my research into representations of 21st-century global migration, I have identified a series of recurring tropes.