What is the original context of this image (or images, since there were a series of them)? Who is the “author”? When/where/why was it taken (or created)?

A Turkish photographer took the picture of the boy, Aylan Kurdi  who washed ashore after the raft him and his family were on capsized in the sea. It was taken amid the height of the refugee crisis when thousands of migrants a day were fleeing into neighboring countries in desperation.

What kind of visual imagery does it involve? What type of argument does it make (including its emotional appeal)?

This is raw truth imagery, it called attention to the dire situation involving the refugees. There is little to no regulation on the transportation of the Syrians fleeing and most UE countries are reluctant to help making a humanitarian argument.

What about the remixes of this images? What arguments / appeals are they making?

(via google)

Images, remixes like this one are appealing to peoples emotional side, a call to be a human being. It’s tragic to see or hear of a loss of any child but more and more children like this little boy are dying on this dangerous and long journey out of Syria and through Europe. Many charities and organizations have tried to lend their hand in aiding these people and it provokes you as an individual to take action.

How did this image go “viral”? How did it circulate? Through what networks (social media & otherwise)? How did the consumers of this image become producers of new meaning?

This image was in several press sources. First in European press and then in western world press like the NY Times. Consumers of this image then turned around and shared their take on it, their stance on the issue and their tentative solution to it. Twitter was a big host for this image going viral, so many people retweeted and commented on this image, some conveying shock others disgust.

What meanings did this image taken on? How was it appropriated?

It took on a meaning of desperation, struggle, hardship and consequence. This image became the most powerful in framing the refugee crisis and the end that many families are met with when they try to flee the war torn country.

How did you go about doing your research here? Provide us with the citations / links you are looking at.

Pam and I used google, twitter and news sources like The guardian and Associated Press. We looked at what came up in text and in image and how the authors of those posts conveyed meaning. Some just bringing to light what’s really going on in Europe right now and others calling for humanitarian action and aide for these people who have no means to help themselves.