EthnoGRAPHIC – serie

In the city of Natal in northeastern Brazil, several local women negotiate the terms of their intimate relationships with foreign tourists, or gringos, in a situation often referred to as "sex tourism." These women have different experiences, but they share a similar desire to "escape" the social conditions of their lives in Brazil. Based on original ethnographic research and presented in graphic form, Gringo Love explores the hopes, dreams, and realities of these women against a backdrop of deep social inequality and increasing state surveillance leading up to the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games. It touches on important contemporary issues, including sexual economics, transnational mobility, romantic imaginaries, gender representation, race and inequality, and visual methods.The graphic story is accompanied by analysis and contextual discussion, which encourage readers to engage with the narrative and expand their understanding of the broader social issues therein.

Across Europe and North America, far-right parties have strategically framed immigration as a threat to national identity and security, capitalizing on public anxieties around cultural change and economic pressure.Part of the groundbreaking ethnoGRAPHIC series, Crossing Lines is a graphic anthology about human migration that challenges the rise of anti-immigrant populism. Research shows that it is difficult to counter these “us-versus-them” narratives with evidence alone. Blending visual and textual storytelling, this collection moves beyond traditional forms of communication to engage readers emotionally with the complex realities of migration.Emerging out of a workshop held at the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Migration Studies in 2022, this graphic anthology features eight powerful narratives, collaboratively created by migration scholars and comics artists. Crossing Lines considers the personal and social impacts of migration, offering nuanced perspectives accessible to a wide audience. Each comic is paired with discussion questions and annotated further readings to encourage dialogue and understanding in the face of polarizing public discourse.Crossing Lines is a timely and indispensable resource for scholars, educators, and readers seeking to better understand migration in today’s globalized world.

1968 was a year of mass protest: it was a pivotal moment in which students worldwide built barricades and launched radical critiques of war and capitalism, and decried universities for their role in perpetuating both. Tokyo 1968 introduces how this global moment played out in Japan, through the unique story of two young women, Hiromi and Kazuko, studying at the overwhelmingly male University of Tokyo during a turbulent period in history. Grounded in extensive research, this is the first literary work (in any language) to foreground women’s experiences and relationships in Japan’s late-1960s student movement.Through a fictionalized graphic rendering based on archival and interview sources, Tokyo 1968 offers a sense of the textured everyday life in which personal relationships intersected with political commitments. Hiromi and Kazuko become involved in the student movement and bring readers with them as they explore urban and activist spaces. The book depicts how they encounter systemic and casual misogyny, and grapple with differing visions of how one realizes social and political change while participating in dramatic events that captured the attention of the nation and the world. The characters’ debates on how to engage in the larger wave of youth activism speaks to dynamics common in social movements, particularly regarding what prompts people to come together collectively and what threatens the unity of a movement. Far from orientalist clichés about an essentially harmonious and apolitical Japan, Tokyo 1968 introduces a critical but often overlooked movement in global youth protest history. It highlights how these efforts set the stage for subsequent women’s liberation, ecological, and radical activism, and introduces readers to the gendered and political context in which young women participated.

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel tells the history of contemporary Thailand through the life of a blind man who walks on the streets of the capital for the last time.

Over the past decade, people have learned about oil contamination in the Ecuadorian Amazon through toxic tours in which a guide brings participants – students, lawyers, environmental activists, journalists, and foreign tourists – to visit contaminated sites. These toxic tours combine personal experience and local knowledge to convince visitors of the immediacy of environmental issues.Drawing on extensive research and fieldwork, Toxic takes the reader on a visual toxic tour through the Amazon. Following the story of three fictional participants, this graphic novel paints a visceral picture of the waste pits, gas flares, and precarious lives of people in this region. The book challenges the reader to consider what it means to live in a place and historical moment where victims of industrial toxicants are continually required to prove that harm has occurred.Toxic is a vivid reflection on the role of pollutants in our everyday lives, ultimately asking readers to reflect on how we are each implicated in the production, consumption, and exposure of pollution both in the Amazon and at home.

Over the past decade, people have learned about oil contamination in the Ecuadorian Amazon through toxic tours in which a guide brings participants – students, lawyers, environmental activists, journalists, and foreign tourists – to visit contaminated sites. These toxic tours combine personal experience and local knowledge to convince visitors of the immediacy of environmental issues.Drawing on extensive research and fieldwork, Toxic takes the reader on a visual toxic tour through the Amazon. Following the story of three fictional participants, this graphic novel paints a visceral picture of the waste pits, gas flares, and precarious lives of people in this region. The book challenges the reader to consider what it means to live in a place and historical moment where victims of industrial toxicants are continually required to prove that harm has occurred.Toxic is a vivid reflection on the role of pollutants in our everyday lives, ultimately asking readers to reflect on how we are each implicated in the production, consumption, and exposure of pollution both in the Amazon and at home.

What will become of us in these trying times? How will we pass the time that we have on earth? In gorgeously rendered graphic form, Light in Dark Times invites readers to consider these questions by exploring the political catastrophes and moral disasters of the past and present, revealing issues that beg to be studied, understood, confronted, and resisted.A profound work of anthropology and art, this book is for anyone yearning to understand the darkness and hoping to hold onto the light. It is a powerful story of encounters with writers, philosophers, activists, and anthropologists whose words are as meaningful today as they were during the times in which they were written. This book is at once a lament over the darkness of our times, an affirmation of the value of knowledge and introspection, and a consideration of truth, lies, and the dangers of the trivial. In a time when many of us struggle with the feeling that we cannot do enough to change the course of the future, this book is a call to action, asking us to envision and create an alternative world from the one in which we now live.Light in Dark Times is beautiful to look at and to hold – an exquisite work of art that is lively, informative, enlightening, deeply moving, and inspiring.

The English translation of this bestselling graphic novel tells the story of Nok, an old blind man who sells lottery tickets in Bangkok, as he decides to leave the city and return to his native village. Through reflections on contemporary Bangkok and flashbacks to his past, Nok reconstructs a journey through the slums of migrant workers, the rice fields of Isaan, the tourist villages of Ko Pha Ngan, and the Red Shirt protests of 2010.Based on a decade of anthropological research, The King of Bangkok is a story of migration to the city, distant families in the countryside, economic development eroding the land, and violent political protest. Ultimately, it is a story about contemporary Thailand and how the waves of history lift, engulf, and crash against ordinary people.

Across Europe and North America, far-right parties have strategically framed immigration as a threat to national identity and security, capitalizing on public anxieties around cultural change and economic pressure.Part of the groundbreaking ethnoGRAPHIC series, Crossing Lines is a graphic anthology about human migration that challenges the rise of anti-immigrant populism. Research shows that it is difficult to counter these "us-versus-them" narratives with evidence alone. Blending visual and textual storytelling, this collection moves beyond traditional forms of communication to engage readers emotionally with the complex realities of migration.Emerging out of a workshop held at the University of British Columbia's Centre for Migration Studies in 2022, this graphic anthology features eight powerful narratives, collaboratively created by migration scholars and comics artists. Crossing Lines considers the personal and social impacts of migration, offering nuanced perspectives accessible to a wide audience. Each comic is paired with discussion questions and annotated further readings to encourage dialogue and understanding in the face of polarizing public discourse.Crossing Lines is a timely and indispensable resource for scholars, educators, and readers seeking to better understand migration in today’s globalized world.

Across Europe and North America, far-right parties have strategically framed immigration as a threat to national identity and security, capitalizing on public anxieties around cultural change and economic pressure.Part of the groundbreaking ethnoGRAPHIC series, Crossing Lines is a graphic anthology about human migration that challenges the rise of anti-immigrant populism. Research shows that it is difficult to counter these “us-versus-them” narratives with evidence alone. Blending visual and textual storytelling, this collection moves beyond traditional forms of communication to engage readers emotionally with the complex realities of migration.Emerging out of a workshop held at the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Migration Studies in 2022, this graphic anthology features eight powerful narratives, collaboratively created by migration scholars and comics artists. Crossing Lines considers the personal and social impacts of migration, offering nuanced perspectives accessible to a wide audience. Each comic is paired with discussion questions and annotated further readings to encourage dialogue and understanding in the face of polarizing public discourse.Crossing Lines is a timely and indispensable resource for scholars, educators, and readers seeking to better understand migration in today’s globalized world.

Based in the agrarian world of commercial sesame farming in northern Paraguay, Forecasts tells a story about what happens when global insurance companies promise financial safety nets to local farmers struggling with the effects of climate change. This striking graphic novel brings together original ethnographic research and Paraguayan gothic art to confront the limitations of finance to respond to a deteriorating environment.Taking a human-centered approach to complex weather and financial models, Forecasts offers new ways of looking at overlapping speculative futures in a more-than-human landscape. Based on more than a year of fieldwork in Paraguay, the book follows one man’s possible journeys through a season of planting and harvesting, buffeted by losses and sustained by the hope that he can cultivate conditions that will help his family thrive. Forecasts makes a sweeping account of environmental and financial risk accessible through the intimate story of one family’s triumphs, heartbreaks, and hopes for the future.

Based in the agrarian world of commercial sesame farming in northern Paraguay, Forecasts tells a story about what happens when global insurance companies promise financial safety nets to local farmers struggling with the effects of climate change. This striking graphic novel brings together original ethnographic research and Paraguayan gothic art to confront the limitations of finance to respond to a deteriorating environment.Taking a human-centered approach to complex weather and financial models, Forecasts offers new ways of looking at overlapping speculative futures in a more-than-human landscape. Based on more than a year of fieldwork in Paraguay, the book follows one man’s possible journeys through a season of planting and harvesting, buffeted by losses and sustained by the hope that he can cultivate conditions that will help his family thrive. Forecasts makes a sweeping account of environmental and financial risk accessible through the intimate story of one family’s triumphs, heartbreaks, and hopes for the future.

In the 1970s, new methods of social science research began to flower in Latin America, connecting academic researchers to grassroots social movements. One of these was participatory action research, a method now used by community organizers, educational activists, and social scientists around the world.Historieta Doble traces the roots of participatory action research to the Caribbean coast of Colombia, and to the work of visionary sociologist Orlando Fals Borda with the Colombian Peasant Movement. Beautifully illustrated, this graphic novel shows how Fals Borda combined research and theory with political participation and activism, using comics to capture rural historical memory and allow peasants to see themselves as historical actors.This graphic history presents a fascinating journey through time, weaving Fals Borda’s original research with Joanne Rappaport’s contemporary reconstruction of his compelling story. The book features the artistic work of Ulianov Chalarka, whose comic panels brought Fals Borda’s research to life in the 1970s. Historieta Doble is a visual and narrative feast that transcends eras, connecting the past and present within the vibrant world of Latin American comics.

How can we better protect survivors? How can we learn from their stories without causing further harm?With a pen in one hand and watercolours in the other, graphic journalist Dan Archer embarks on an investigation into human trafficking and how comics can be used to empower survivors and raise awareness of human rights issues. Based on years of research and reporting, the book holds a mirror up to the ways that international and local NGOs study and combat trafficking, reflecting on both the positive and negative impacts they can have.Featuring interviews with trafficking survivors across Nepal, as well as former traffickers themselves, Archer dispels common misconceptions around labour trafficking, sex trafficking, organ trafficking, and more. Through a combination of live sketches, illustrated reportage, and visual testimonies, he champions the use of graphic journalism in human rights reporting and emphasizes the need for a survivor-centric approach to this work.Carefully compiled and expressively illustrated, Voices from Nepal sheds light on an important issue while fostering a discussion about how we can improve the tools and methods we use to make change.

In the 1970s, new methods of social science research began to flower in Latin America, connecting academic researchers to grassroots social movements. One of these was participatory action research, a method now used by community organizers, educational activists, and social scientists around the world.Historieta Doble traces the roots of participatory action research to the Caribbean coast of Colombia, and to the work of visionary sociologist Orlando Fals Borda with the Colombian Peasant Movement. Beautifully illustrated, this graphic novel shows how Fals Borda combined research and theory with political participation and activism, using comics to capture rural historical memory and allow peasants to see themselves as historical actors.This graphic history presents a fascinating journey through time, weaving Fals Borda’s original research with Joanne Rappaport’s contemporary reconstruction of his compelling story. The book features the artistic work of Ulianov Chalarka, whose comic panels brought Fals Borda’s research to life in the 1970s. Historieta Doble is a visual and narrative feast that transcends eras, connecting the past and present within the vibrant world of Latin American comics.

An emphatic deep dive into the continual movement required of migrants, The Horizon Line studies a relatively recent and little-explored social and migratory phenomenon. For about a decade, the somewhat unprecedented occurrence of double migration has been observed in Italian Bangladeshis engaging in a second move to London. Told through the lens of a fictionalized ethnographer and presented in the form of accessible and captivating comics, this book traces the concept of onward migration and the lives shaped by it.Through interviews with Italian Bangladeshis who made the difficult decision to re-uproot their lives in search of better, social scientists and comic artists Francesco Della Puppa, Francesco Matteuzzi, and Francesco Saresin come together to highlight the joys and struggles of this new (e)migration. The authors offer insights on the dynamism of these “new Italian citizens.” and on the migration routes shaped by the continuous global transformations, and on the social, political, and economic situation of Italy and the Southern European countries. Moreover, by following the trajectories of Stefano the researcher, the book provides valuable insight into the modalities, processes, difficulties and turning points of conducting ethnographic research. An essential contribution to migration studies, The Horizon Line gives voice to diasporic communities and sheds light on their most current trials and tribulations.

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine that dominated headlines around the world. Millions of Ukrainians would flee the country, and a third of the population would be displaced. In the days following the invasion, Swedish migration expert Gregg Bucken-Knapp sent text messages to his Ukrainian colleagues, offering support and assistance. These were their responses.In a series of graphic vignettes, Messages from Ukraine takes the words of Ukrainian migration professionals and transforms them into snapshots of how war affects the lives of everyday people: those who are forced to flee home and seek safety elsewhere, those who choose to stay and volunteer or fight, those who witness events unfolding from afar, and those who find themselves trapped in cities under siege. Messages from Ukraine captures a moment in time to tell a timeless story about war, displacement, determination, and resilience.Proceeds from the sale of Messages from Ukraine will go to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, a national charitable foundation that provides humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine.

In Diary of an Uncertain Psychic, artist-anthropologist Deena I.J. Newman explores the life and lessons of Elizabeth, a California psychic and radio talk show host. Through vivid graphic narrative, this detailed account tells a story about images through images.Elizabeth experienced a continuous flow of inner images, In Western culture, the phenomenon of spontaneous inner imagery is often considered unusual or abnormal. Newman challenges this perspective by suggesting that many people experience spontaneous visual, auditory, and kinesthetic imagery and contends that such imagery may be a potential key to understanding psychic and mental processes. These images are interpreted differently across different cultures – as spiritual messages, omens, sources of scientific and artistic inspiration, psychological insights, symptoms of mental illness, or simply nonsensical productions of the mind.In visualizing these images on the page, this book invites readers to delve deeper into the complexities of inner imagery – both within psychics and within themselves. This graphic work captures the film-like inner images commonly experienced yet frequently overlooked, revealing the uncertainty involved in translating between images and words. Newman reflexively explores Elizabeth's and her own experiences to understand this process of translation.

In Diary of an Uncertain Psychic, artist-anthropologist Deena I.J. Newman explores the life and lessons of Elizabeth, a California psychic and radio talk show host. Through vivid graphic narrative, this detailed account tells a story about images through images.Elizabeth experienced a continuous flow of inner images, In Western culture, the phenomenon of spontaneous inner imagery is often considered unusual or abnormal. Newman challenges this perspective by suggesting that many people experience spontaneous visual, auditory, and kinesthetic imagery and contends that such imagery may be a potential key to understanding psychic and mental processes. These images are interpreted differently across different cultures – as spiritual messages, omens, sources of scientific and artistic inspiration, psychological insights, symptoms of mental illness, or simply nonsensical productions of the mind.In visualizing these images on the page, this book invites readers to delve deeper into the complexities of inner imagery – both within psychics and within themselves. This graphic work captures the film-like inner images commonly experienced yet frequently overlooked, revealing the uncertainty involved in translating between images and words. Newman reflexively explores Elizabeth's and her own experiences to understand this process of translation.

Lochlann Jain’s debut non-fiction graphic novel, Things That Art, playfully interrogates the order of things. Toying with the relationship between words and images, Jain’s whimsical compositions may seem straightforward. Upon closer inspection, however, the drawings reveal profound and startling paradoxes at the heart of how we make sense of the world.Commentaries by architect and theorist Maria McVarish, poet and naturalist Elizabeth Bradfield, musician and English Professor Drew Daniel, and the author offer further insight into the drawings in this collection. A captivating look at the fundamental absurdities of everyday communication, Things That Art jolts us toward new forms of collation and collaboration.