La Matanza de Nuestras Historias: The Salvadoran Suffering Forced into the Shadows of Media
Location
PANEL: Communication Capstone Pt. I
CELA Moffett
Moderator: Cortney Smith
Document Type
Presentation - Open Access
Start Date
5-1-2026 2:30 PM
End Date
5-1-2026 3:30 PM
Abstract
The Cold War was fought in silence for many; however, for El Salvador, the suffering was loud and its violence was felt in every corner. This work explores how the visual representation of the Salvadoran Civil War (1979-1992) in United States mainstream media impacted the legal status granted to Salvadoran migrants in the United States. This case study analysis of photojournalism’s effect on public perception and policy can provide a framework through which other cases, both past and current, can be analyzed. This paper opens up a conversation about the extent of power visual media has during and after conflicts, through an application of visual analysis and comparison of photos that were published in the Civil War coverage by Time and those that were not made public. In addition, the published photos are put into conversation with photojournalism theories detailing the effectiveness of the depiction of suffering. The curated photographs in Time proved to be an extremely limited portrayal of the experiences endured by Salvadorans. As one of the few major publications in the U.S. to provide visual coverage, these photos provided the foundation for the public and government’s perception of the war. This limited curated coverage resulted in the downplay of violence in El Salvador, allowing the U.S. government to write off granting Salvadorans refugee status. In understanding the legal ramifications faced by Salvadorans fleeing conflict, that were brought on by limited coverage, we can begin to understand the real world implications of photojournalism.
Keywords:
Communications, Photojournalism, Latin America, Media
Recommended Citation
Reyes, Marta Sarahi, "La Matanza de Nuestras Historias: The Salvadoran Suffering Forced into the Shadows of Media" (2026). Research Symposium. 36.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/researchsymp/2026/presentations/36
Major
Communications; Latin American Studies
Project Mentor(s)
Cortney Smith, Writing and Communication
2026
La Matanza de Nuestras Historias: The Salvadoran Suffering Forced into the Shadows of Media
PANEL: Communication Capstone Pt. I
CELA Moffett
Moderator: Cortney Smith
The Cold War was fought in silence for many; however, for El Salvador, the suffering was loud and its violence was felt in every corner. This work explores how the visual representation of the Salvadoran Civil War (1979-1992) in United States mainstream media impacted the legal status granted to Salvadoran migrants in the United States. This case study analysis of photojournalism’s effect on public perception and policy can provide a framework through which other cases, both past and current, can be analyzed. This paper opens up a conversation about the extent of power visual media has during and after conflicts, through an application of visual analysis and comparison of photos that were published in the Civil War coverage by Time and those that were not made public. In addition, the published photos are put into conversation with photojournalism theories detailing the effectiveness of the depiction of suffering. The curated photographs in Time proved to be an extremely limited portrayal of the experiences endured by Salvadorans. As one of the few major publications in the U.S. to provide visual coverage, these photos provided the foundation for the public and government’s perception of the war. This limited curated coverage resulted in the downplay of violence in El Salvador, allowing the U.S. government to write off granting Salvadorans refugee status. In understanding the legal ramifications faced by Salvadorans fleeing conflict, that were brought on by limited coverage, we can begin to understand the real world implications of photojournalism.
