Refugees are not a new phenomenon. The number of global refugees swells and recedes every year as conflicts, political repression, environmental catastrophes and other events scatter populations.

In the public conciousness however, it might seem as if the term has sprung out of nowhere. Refugees have been all over the news in the past several months. People everywhere, especially politicians, suddenly have impassioned opinions about refugees and what should be done about them.

Oftentimes, these opinions are harsh and misinformed. They paint suffering families as menacing hordes. In the climate of fear that has arisen, countries such as the US, have begun barring entry to refugees, trading basic humanitarian obligations for an invented sense of security.

At times, the conversation seems to get gridlocked in this extreme mode.

So it’s good when artists use their ingenuity to break apart preconceptions and force people to consider refugees in a new light.

Here are 5 recent examples of artists that have helped shape the popular understanding of refugees:

1) Banksy mural of Steve Jobs

Earlier in the year, Bansky shipped his sardonic theme park “Dismaland” to a dismal refugee camp in Calais, France, to be repurposed as shelters and raise awareness of the plight of the inhabitants.  

Now, Banksy has taken a major of icon of the West, Steve Jobs, and recast him as a refugee. Most people do not know this, but Jobs’ father was a Syrian refugee from Homs. Had he not been granted entry to the US, then there’d be no Apple, the most profitable company in the world.  

Image: Banksy

How many future Steve Jobs are countries denying entry to?

2) Brandon Stanton’s refugee portraits and interviews

Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. Nobody promotes peace and humanizes people like he does. He has created the most compassionate community on the Internet.

Recently, Brandon began interviewing refugees who had been accepted to the US--a highly privileged minority. Each interview tells of profound suffering, but they also show the profoundly beautiful humanity at the core of each person.

The actor Edward Norton was so moved by one of the stories that he started a crowdfunding campaign that has raised more than USD $430,000 for a man and his family.

And if you need your faith in humanity restored, read the comments sections on HONY.

3) M.I.A.’s song “Borders”

M.I.A. once again weaved activism into one of her tracks. This time she’s taking on the cultural barriers that prevent people from clearly seeing the refugee crisis in her song “Borders.”

The song has a hypnotic quality, as M.I.A. chants refrains questioning Western ideologies. Throughout the video, male refugees stand in formations, sit crowded on stylized boats and move through obstacle courses.

Ultimately, “Borders” asks people to examine their beliefs and recognize that all the things that divide people are artificial constructs.

4) Reza and Ali Bin Thalith refugee portraits

Few places were as sorely tested by the refugee crisis as Paris. The city was devastated by a series of terrorist attacks in early November that killed more than 130 people. Afterwards, people around the world cast refugees as potential terrorists and called for their exclusion.

The French people, and president Francois Hollande, stood strong and reaffirmed their commitment to helping refugees.

Perhaps contributing to this display of compassion was a recent public exhibit by the photographers Reza and Ali Bin Thalith, which showed hundreds of faces close-up.

Image: UNHCR/O. Laban Mattei

Many of the faces belonged to refugees. Peering into the portraits stirred many people to tears, reminding viewers that everyone shares the same fundamental humanity.  

5) Joel Artista for The Za’atari Project

Artist Joel Artista travels to Syrian refugee camps and works to transform the environments through art.

He holds workshops for children, teaches people how to embellish their living quarters and enlists community support to create gorgeous murals.

While the program is not directly influencing the global public, it shows that refugees are people just like everyone else. They have hopes and dreams and are moved by the power of art.

Image: The Za'atari Project

Who knows, maybe some of the budding artists that Artista is training will go on to inspire the world!

The world can never allow fear and propaganda to dominate global discussions.

Refugees are human beings. They need help and they want to contribute to the world. Global citizens everywhere have to challenge nasty misrepresentations with truth.

Let me know of any other artists working to help refugees in the comment section below.