HumanLines is a portal of alternative narration and in-depth analysis of the immigration issues.
We started in 2019 to support a project of the University of Notre Dame (US)
The Corridors, however, cannot be looked at as if they were detached from the framework which they are a part of.
It was, therefore, natural to widen our horizon, in search of dynamics,
features and forms of narration capable of offering other perspectives,
from which to observe a phenomenon that has an impact on our times.
If you want to know more, please read the full report on the Humanitarian Corridors project.
The objective
The objective of HumanLines is to understand and to narrate:
stories, dynamics, experiences, and difficulties, which distinguish the encounter, quite often the clash,
and the interaction, between the people who migrate and communities of which they become a part.
People is the keyword. More and more people have been forced to relocate,
yet fewer and fewer feel welcomed into their new countries, as indicated by our data.
The Humanitarian Corridors presents an alternative, viable path for these refugees to follow,
still insufficient in the number of people involved, but interesting in the way that it approaches this community dynamic.
In our analysis we have gradually felt the need to broaden our gaze, participate in debates,
and involve participants in the sector, such as scholars, journalists, volunteers,
and other protagonists in order to highlight the voices of those who partake in this complex experience.
The point of view, or the perspective from which one observes, is an important factor to take into consideration.
We asked ourselves: what point of view is missing from the usual narrative of migration?
People who immigrate, or emigrate are usually told about the stories of migration by those who do not experience migration,
or at least not the sort of migration which is highlighted throughout this process.
For this reason, in addition to Ilaria Schnyder's direct analysis as a scholar and researcher,
and in addition to the stories through images, drawings, and sounds – in the field whenever possible,
or by virtual means throughout the pandemic –, we have chosen to start a new path.
It is called Human Factor, a self-narration workshop that sees boys and girls as protagonists,
put in a position to express themselves with their own experiences and thoughts,
from that often missing perspective which may grant a new point of view to those who are not experiencing this process.
The medium for which these stories are conveyed is via a simple smartphone.
There is a wide array of content and experiences,
as we have decided to let all of the participants tell their stories with total freedom of expression.
HL | The academic research project
Since 2018, Ilaria Schnyder von Wartensee professor at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana, US)
have been working on a longitudinal research project aimed at monitoring and evaluating the various dynamics
at work in the Humanitarian Corridors project, which embodies a new vision for thinking about immigration and reception.
Professor Clemens Sedmak participated in the research from 2018 to 2020,
currently Director of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies of the University of Notre Dame.
If you want to know more, please read the full report.
The following entities are the sponsors of the HumanLines research program:
The Henry Luce Foundation (US)
The Ford Family Program in Human Development Studies and Solidarity, Notre Dame (US)
The Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Notre Dame (US)
