Video Diaries

The video diary method was introduced into the AspirE framework with a clear ambition: to humanize the research process. Rather than relying solely on traditional interviews, we aimed to capture the emotional and temporal dimensions of migration decisions—those subtle expressions, hesitations, and sensory cues that often go unnoticed in verbal-only data.  Over one year, each team would follow six participants, who would record a 10-minute video diary every three months, guided by a set of open-ended questions. The goal was to track how their migration aspirations evolved—capturing not only what they said, but how they said it: through tone, setting, and embodied emotion. 

In total, the Aspire project collected 284 video-diaries from 11 European and Asian countries, creating a huge database for present and future analysis. In this page, you will find a set of 4 video-diaries selected from the countries involved in the AspirE research project. All these videos have been pseudonymized, following the GDPR and Open Data protocols of the European Commission.  

Besides this important academic output, AspirE researcher Amaya Sumpsi edited a 37 minutes documentary with the video-diaries from the participants that consented to share their stories with the public. The result is the film “Songs of Leaving”, that will be launched within the onsite exhibition, the 24th of October 2025. With this film, the ApirE project aims to reach a broader audience, building bridges between academia and society through its exhibition in film festivals, cultural events and educational moments.