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Initial Thoughts on “Engaged Citizenship Through Interdisciplinary Practices” – A Collaborative Exploration of Migration

Beginning the Engaged Citizenship Through Interdisciplinary Practices module has been a nice break from the typical academic schedule. Right from the start, it was obvious that this module isn’t focused on lectures, exams, or solo essays. The main focus is on teamwork—partnering with peers from various courses to investigate how we can come together to tackle significant social challenges. This year, we're diving into a really relevant and intricate topic: migration. This module really stands out because it focusses on working together across different fields. I was excited but also a bit nervous when I was asked to work with students from totally different fields. I'm used to thinking within my own subject, so this was a new experience for me. But that’s exactly what we’re trying to say. This module really pushes us to think beyond our usual ways and to explore various perspectives, approaches, and methods.

The topic of migration is interesting for this kind of exploration. It’s not only a political issue, or a legal one, or an emotional one, it’s all of these and even more. During our initial sessions, it was evident that individuals from various courses contributed to distinct perspectives. A student studying geography might concentrate on how people move across borders and the environmental effects of that movement, whereas a student with an art background could examine how migration is portrayed through visual storytelling. The different ways of thinking really help to build a deeper and more complex understanding of the topic.

What I really like about this module is that it doesn’t expect us to be experts on migration; instead, it encourages us to learn together. It's not just about finding the "correct" answer; it's about posing thoughtful questions. What are the reasons that drive people to migrate? What are the various ways that societies react to migration? What are the ways we represent migrants in the media and the arts? And most importantly, how can we collaborate across various fields to come up with creative and thoughtful responses? We're just starting to come up with ideas for our project, and it's already really enlightening. There are challenges—like varying working styles, different jargon, and differing priorities—but that’s where real learning takes place. Listening to and learning from classmates in different subjects is really helping me understand communication, empathy, and compromise better. These skills extend beyond just school and are important for being an involved and active member of society. This module really shows how theory and practice are linked together. We’re not just studying migration—we’re considering how our teamwork can connect with real-world problems and communities. It reminds us that being a citizen goes beyond just voting or engaging in politics; it involves how we connect with one another, how we foster understanding despite our differences, and how we can use our shared knowledge to envision improved futures. Overall, my first experience with this module has been tough but also motivating. I can’t wait to see how our teamwork develops and how we can come up with creative ways to engage with the theme of migration in meaningful ways.

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From Ideas to Artefacts: Navigating Migration with Diverse Perspectives

After we were grouped and analysed based on the assessment brief, we all agreed that our common artefact would be an object designed to hold messages, along with our confidences, fears, and apprehensions regarding migration.  The lessons we had in the lecture hall really helped us think more creatively about migration and how to express it using words and metaphors.

 Our group got paired up with students from the Performing Arts and Architecture courses, and I was also studying Creative Media Technology.  Due to our different perspectives and ideas, we shared a lot during meetings and in social networking groups.  Hearing various perspectives from my classmates really opened my mind, allowing me to notice and consider things I hadn't before.  Expressing my thoughts and understanding really helped me to apply, organise, and review the knowledge I gained in my major.

 We decided to team up and make something together as a group.  This required many of us to attempt something we weren't used to.  For a performing artist, it can be quite a challenge to express emotions without using body language or through their performance.  Since I usually work with images and films, starting to create something by hand was a new experience for me. It was challenging because it had to be not only visually appealing but also convey all my emotions and thoughts about migration.

 Even though the beginning was somewhat challenging and a little confusing, the lessons we had in class and the insights shared by the guest speakers (Abigail Burt, Tom Skye, Charles Leddy-Owen, and Majid) really equipped me to start working on the group project.  Throughout this period, we kept in touch regularly, sharing our ideas in the group chat to ensure everyone could participate in discussions and help shape our final product.

I made the choice early in the module to explore something totally different from what I'm studying.  I was hesitant to step out of my comfort zone and face new challenges.  I was really interested in trying something new that I hadn’t done before – creating a handmade object.

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Concept Generation and Research: Understanding Refugee Identity Through Empathy and Storytelling

After going to Charles Leddy-Owen’s guest lecture, I really got a better grasp of migration, especially when it comes to refugees and asylum seekers.  The discussion pointed out how public and political narratives frequently take away the individuality of refugees, turning them into mere numbers or issues that need to be addressed.  I found it really interesting how he highlighted the role of personal stories in changing viewpoints and fostering empathy.

 This idea really got me thinking about how I could make a meaningful contribution to our group presentation, focussing on human experience.  I found the Vietnamese refugee crisis in 1978 interesting, especially when so many people left Vietnam by boat after the war ended.  This involved a significant number of individuals fleeing from persecution, re-education camps, and severe difficulties—many of whom were eventually relocated to countries such as the UK.

 I may not have a personal refugee story linked to one person, but I’ve had conversations with various individuals from the Vietnamese community in the UK whose families experienced those events.  These discussions were significant.  What really caught my attention was that some people still understand Vietnamese but choose not to speak it, and how a few show a strong resentment or even hatred towards Vietnam and Vietnamese identity.

 I didn't expect this reaction at all.  I thought there would be a significant link between language and heritage for maintaining cultural identity.  However, I found a more complex situation.  For some people, Vietnam isn't merely a place they call “home”—it represents a backdrop of trauma, fear, and loss.  Rejecting the language and culture might be a way for them to distance themselves from painful memories, and maybe it's a way to cope with the experience of forced migration and resettlement.

 I really want to dive into this emotional complexity in my section of the presentation.  I’m curious about the psychological and cultural effects of being displaced, not just the physical journey itself.  What does it mean to not embrace your native language?  How does it feel to have both survival and bitterness as part of who you are?  These are tough yet significant questions that I believe will help make the refugee experience more relatable for our audience.

 I plan to make a handmade artefact that uses metaphors to explore themes like cultural disconnection, identity loss, and emotional conflict.  Instead of showing events straight on, I want to express the emotional aspects of the stories I've heard in a symbolic way—especially the feelings of silence, rejection, and unresolved identity.  I aim to share what I’ve learnt by listening, researching, and reflecting, rather than speaking for anyone else.

 This whole process has shown me that migration isn't just about crossing borders—it's a lengthy, often difficult change in who we are.  While working with my group on this project, I’m realising how important it is to tackle these topics with care, understanding, and an openness to really hear what’s being said.

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Artefact Production: Visualising Displacement and Fragmented Identity

For my personal artefact in our group project on migration, I aimed to convey the emotional experiences of asylum seekers, especially those from the Vietnamese refugee crisis in 1978, through symbolic and non-verbal expressions.  I aimed to make a 2D cardboard artwork that expressed feelings of disconnection, trauma, and cultural fragmentation using metaphor.

 I started off by doing some exploratory sketches.  I tried out various visual concepts, sketching different metaphorical representations of themes like broken identity, forced separation, emotional loss, and the journey away from home.  In my sketches, I incorporated fragmented hearts, scattered landmasses, suitcases, and fading connections to illustrate how migration affects individuals and families.

 I investigated the metaphor of the heart being split apart, which represents emotional trauma and a fractured identity.  In a few sketches, I drew the broken heart surrounded by abstract shapes that look like land, symbolising lost places or homes that now only exist in my memory.  The arrows and directional cues suggested a sense of forced movement and dispersal, reflecting the displacement experienced by many asylum seekers.  I also investigated the visual of a house with a heart, which symbolises both “home” and the emotional burden that comes with resettlement or exile.

 After I worked on the idea by sketching, I turned it into a flat piece of cardboard.  The choice to use cardboard was intentional: it’s a basic, common material that is frequently used for a short time and then thrown away—like how some refugees are regarded by governments and institutions.  It’s strong and adaptable, showing how resilient people can be when they must rebuild their lives in new and sometimes tough places.

 The artefact doesn't depend on text or detailed illustrations; it communicates through its shape, texture, and symbolism instead.  The jagged, frayed edges of the cardboard pieces show feelings of hurt and lingering struggles.  The way the pieces are layered and overlap really shows how complicated memory and identity can be.  At the same time, the open areas and the way things are arranged show feelings of loss, separation, and a desire to find a sense of belonging.

 I focused on adding a personal touch to our presentation by sharing emotional reflections that complemented the factual and analytical parts.  While some people looked at policy, history, or how the public views asylum seekers, my project tried to make the experience more relatable—not by sharing a particular story, but by encouraging emotional connection through visual metaphor.

 This process has really helped me grasp how art can serve as a strong tool for fostering empathy and raising social awareness.  Working on this piece gave me a chance to think about what I’ve learnt, particularly from talking with people in the Vietnamese diaspora who still feel the impact of being uprooted.  Some people struggle with their identity, feeling torn between knowing Vietnamese but choosing not to speak it, or holding negative feelings towards their home country.  I aimed to capture these complex emotions in my final piece.

 This project really showed me how working together, being creative, and having compassion can come together to tackle complicated social issues like migration—through research and genuine expression.

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Final Artefact & Group Presentation Reflection

For our final presentation in the “Engaged Citizenship Through Interdisciplinary Practices” module, I made a personal artefact called: “A heart, drifted away from its roots to try to fit the gaps elsewhere, knowing full well that it is not the perfect piece.”

 This 2D artwork, crafted completely from cardboard and coloured by hand, represents the emotional journey of Vietnamese refugees who left their country during the migration crisis in 1978.  A broken heart is floating in the middle of a body of water, with pieces of land all around it.  The artwork really shows the struggle of being displaced—like trying to fit in a new place but never feeling completely at home again.  The sea symbolises the dangerous path that many asylum seekers face, and the broken heart illustrates the emotional pain and the challenges of rebuilding one's identity after being forced to migrate.

 The title represents the challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers: even after arriving at safer places, the emotional toll remains.  In my discussions with people from the Vietnamese community in the UK, I've observed that some of them still understand the language but prefer not to speak it. This seems to reflect feelings of detachment, resentment, and unresolved emotions related to their past.  I really connected with this broken feeling of belonging, and I used that as the emotional foundation for my project.

 This artefact was included in our group's final collaborative project—a time-capsule letter box.  The box served as a space for everyone to share their personal thoughts, items, and views on migration.  I wanted to show that these personal and emotional experiences are often kept hidden or internalised by putting my work inside it.  Even if you can't see them on the surface, they really shape who we are and what we remember.

 The group collaboration part of the module was valuable and helped me learn a lot.  Each member, coming from various fields, contributed their unique research methods, creative viewpoints, and cultural backgrounds.  We needed to figure out how to listen, adjust, and combine our thoughts to come up with something that makes sense together.  I focused on emotional storytelling and symbolic interpretation in the team, which worked well with those who concentrated on historical facts, theoretical frameworks, or multimedia projects.

 Even though we had different ways of doing things, the letter box turned out to be an impactful piece that brought together various subjects—containing not just objects, but also stories, questions, and feelings.  Working on this project helped me realise just how complicated migration really is. It’s clear that we need to look at emotional, social, and political angles to truly understand it.

 This project not only let me explore migration through metaphor and personal empathy, but it also helped me learn how to communicate across different fields and collaborate within a creative team—skills I really appreciate in my academic journey and personal growth.