Graphic reporting: human rights violations through the lens of graphic novels

Abstract

There is a growing interest in the world of graphic novels from a legal viewpoint, but the interconnection between law and graphic novels has not yet been fully assessed in the area of human rights law. 1 In addition, there is an emergent body of authors who are seeking to use graphic novels to advance what can be broadly understood as human rights awareness-raising, through the depiction or reporting of wide-scale atrocities or rights denial. This raises questions as to the status and potential of a nascent connection between human rights and graphic novels, especially from the perspective of human rights law which is at present largely driven by reports from international organisations not receptive to graphic novels as a means of communication and reporting. From the viewpoint of the graphic novel sphere, there is a question as to whether there is a need to recognise an emergent body of work that could be termed the ‘human rights graphic novel’. Furthermore, the direct engagement by graphic authors with human rights violations leads to potential for greater reciprocity between these graphic reporters and the international system designed to monitor rights protection, and prevent and punish perpetrators.

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ORCID for Jeremie Gilbert: orcid.org/0000-0003-1377-3494

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