An ethnographic study on Turkey’s exiled video activists in Germany

In Turkey’s authoritarian climate, video activists document human rights violations and social injustices to hold perpetrators accountable and empower marginalized communities. However, government persecution forces many activists to flee, leading to a significant increase in migration. This study investigates how video activists from Turkey, in Germany, navigate the intersection of activism, migration and audio-visual production. Through an ethnographic methodology that includes interviews with ten independent video activists, I explore the impact of migration on their audio-visual activism in exile. The findings indicate that video activists have pursued various paths in their work. While some have left video activism altogether, others continue through independent initiatives, freelance as videographers, editors and photographers or utilize project-based funding to create personal and political multimedia projects. These varied approaches reflect the adaptability and resilience of video activists in continuing their efforts despite changing circumstances and production possibilities in exile.