METHODOLOGICAL CHALLENGES OF DATA VISUALIZATION IN MIGRATION STUDIES

TOWARD INTEGRATION OF TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY

Abstract

Contemporary migration research increasingly relies on visual data representations that enable deeper understanding of complex social and spatial patterns of population movement. However, the technical solutions that enable visualization – from traditional statistical charts to interactive digital platforms – simultaneously raise numerous epistemological and ethical questions, often with negative implications for migrants. In this context, this paper examines the possibilities of integrating technical solutions and ethical responsibility in the process of visualizing migration data. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding how dominant visual conventions with implicit political meanings, a kind of visualization regimes, shape the perception of migration processes
and thereby (re)produce social risks for migrants. Through analysis of relevant literature and examples of good practice, such as data feminism, data humanism, and ethical visualization workflow, the paper highlights existing methodological procedures that enable the connection of technical innovations and ethical principles of humanistic and social research, whereby visualization becomes a tool not only for analysis and communication, but also for responsible interpretation of migration phenomena.