Margins to Media: Digital Media Narratives of Migrant Labour during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Migration has long been a major topic of research in many fields, as there are different reasons why people move, such as economic, social, cultural, demographic, geographical, physical, political, institutional, and psychological considerations. The COVID-19 epidemic broke out suddenly, followed by a lockdown in 2020. This showed how vulnerable migrants are around the world, especially in India, and it was a major threat to human life. Most importantly, the pandemic revealed the deplorable conditions of millions of migrant labourers across the globe, whose mass exodus became one of the most heart-wrenching humanitarian crises of recent times. This paper explores the role of digital media in highlighting the plight of migrants who were denied basic needs like food, clothing, safety, identity, recognition, and belonging, as well as the tragedy of the homeless, who remained invisible in India during the pandemic.