This roundtable revisits the perceived ‘truthfulness’ of imagery in the face of decisions–intentional or not–that omit, edit, and erase elements. These practices potentially matter for how people make sense of issues, yet are not always apparent in visual outputs’ final forms. By considering the notion of truth-telling via a range of images and settings–including artificial intelligence, urban development, and data journalism–this event aims to highlight how visuals and their creators relate to facts, misinformation, and yet-to-be-realized realities. Moreover, it asks whether and how making such curatorial choices visible might be positive forces for public scholarship and knowledge about political issues such as (im)mobility.

In order to foster and inform discussion, prior to the events registrants are strongly encouraged to read the following short blog article: “Why Visuals Matter for the Politics of Migration—Particularly Now” by the organisers Dr William L Allen (British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Oxford) and Dr Marnie Howlett (Departmental Lecturer in Politics, University of Oxford).