Title
The Lost Boys of Sudan and the Media
Public Representation vs. Private Narration in the Telling of their Story

Abstract
Prior to and after resettlement in the United States, the group of refugees known as the “Lost Boys of Sudan” received much attention from the media. The typical story described a group of young boys, orphaned and/or unaccompanied by caregivers, who were forced to flee their homeland and undertake a dangerous journey on foot. It was a disturbing story that prompted much international concern. But, how accurate was the portrayal?

In the proposed presentation, I compare the individual life stories of  “Lost Boys,” as told to me during interviews, with the larger story of the “Lost Boys” that was told about them in the US media. Analyzing the two, I examine and discuss how the “Lost Boys” group was essentially created by people other than themselves, and how their story was manipulated and presented in a way that reinforced pre-existing ideas about which refugees are most needy and deserving of international assistance. From there, I discuss broader issues related to the representation of Africans, and especially African refugees, in the US media.     

Author’s Contact Information
Brandy Witthoft
PhD student, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

1 Rose Street
Jordan, NY 13080
(315) 689-6564
bwitthof@maxwell.syr.edu