Our work, titled Guatemalan Forced Migration: the Politics of Care in Representing Refugees, asks the question, "how can photographers and social scientists better document the lives of forced migrants in a way that reflects their needs and concerns?"

This question guides the photo-documentary, leading us to focus on indigenous Guatemalan forced migrants living in the former refugee camp of La Gloria located in Chiapas, Mexico. We employed the use of an innovative photovoice method whereby the participants determined how they would like to be photographed in an initial frame while a second frame reflects the dominant images portrayed in humanitarian and mainstream media. The contrast that arises provides an opportunity to examine the way in which an indigenous forced migrant community shapes their identity while simultaneously deconstructing their stereotyped gendered representation that portrays forced migrants--especially women--as apolitical domestic nurturers. The opportunity for participants to reflect on each photograph allowed us to examine the way that forced migrants feel while being photographed. Our findings reflect an overall aversion to the second, more stereotyped, images, which we consider an attempt to redress popular opinion to think critically of the local cultural representation of international forced migrants.

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