giorgio agamben - we refugees - 1994
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refugeesTRANSCRIPT
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GIORGIOAGAMBENWEREFUGEES.GiorgioAgamben."WeRefugees."Symposium.1995,No.49(2),Summer,Pages:114119,English,TranslationbyMichaelRocke.
Translations:
GiorgioAgamben."WeRefugees."Symposium.1995,No.49(2),Summer,Pages:114119,English,TranslationbyMichaelRocke.GiorgioAgamben."Viflttamenn."DagblaiNei.February21,2009.Islandic.GiorgioAgamben."My,uchodcy."June5,2007.Polish.TranslationbyKatarzynaGawlicz.
1.In1943,inasmalljewishperiodical,TheMenorahJournal,HannahArendtpublishedanarticletitled"WeRefugees."Inthisbriefbutimportantessay,aftersketchingapolemicalportraitofMr.Cohn,theassimilatedJewwhohadbeen150percentGerman,150percentViennese,and150percentFrenchbutfinallyrealizesbitterlythat"onneparvientpasdeuxfois,"Arendtoverturnstheconditionofrefugeeandpersonwithoutacountryinwhichsheherselfwaslivinginordertoproposethisconditionastheparadigmofanewhistoricalconsciousness.Therefugeewhohaslostallrights,yetstopswantingtobeassimilatedatanycosttoanewnationalidentitysoastocontemplatehisconditionlucidly,receives,inexchangeforcertainunpopularity,aninestimableadvantage:"Forhimhistoryisnolongeraclosedbook,andpoliticsceasestobetheprivilegeoftheGentiles.HeknowsthatthebanishmentoftheJewishpeopleinEuropewasfollowedimmediatelybythatofthemajorityoftheEuropeanpeoples.Refugeesexpelledfromonecountrytothenextrepresenttheavantgardeoftheirpeople."
Itisworthreflectingonthesenseofthisanalysis,whichtoday,preciselyfiftyyearslater,hasnotlostanyofitscurrency.Notonlydoestheproblemarisewiththesameurgency,bothinEuropeandelsewhere,butalso,inthecontextoftheinexorabledeclineofthenationstateandthegeneralcorrosionoftraditionallegalpoliticalcategories,therefugeeisperhapstheonlyimaginablefigureofthepeopleinourday.Atleastuntiltheprocessofthedissolutionofthenationstateanditssovereigntyhascometoanend,therefugeeisthesolecategoryinwhichitispossibletodaytoperceivetheformsandlimitsofapoliticalcommunitytocome.Indeed,itmaybethatifwewanttobeequaltotheabsolutelynoveltasksthatfaceus,wewillhavetoabandonwithoutmisgivingsthebasicconceptsinwhichwehaverepresentedpoliticalsubjectsuptonow(manandcitizenwiththeirrights,butalsothesovereignpeople,theworker,etc.)andtoreconstructourpoliticalphilosophybeginningwiththisuniquefigure.
2.ThefirstappearanceofrefugeesasamassphenomenonoccurredattheendofWorldWarI,whenthecollapseoftheRussian,AustroHungarian,andOttomanempires,andthenewordercreatedbythepeacetreaties,profoundlyupsetthedemographicandterritorialstructureofCentralandEasternEurope.Injustashorttime,amillionandahalfWhiteRussians,sevenhundredthousandArmenians,fivehundredthousandBulgarians,amillionGreeks,andhundredsofthousandsofGermans,Hungarians,andRomanianslefttheircountriesandmovedelsewhere.Tothesemassesinmotionshouldbeaddedtheexplosivesituationdeterminedbythefactthatinthenewstatescreatedbythepeacetreatiesonthemodelofthenationstate(forexample,inYugoslaviaandinCzechoslovakia),some30percentofthepopulationscomprisedminoritiesthathadtobeprotectedthroughaseriesofinternationaltreaties(thesocalledMinorityTreaties),whichveryoftenremainedadeadletter.Afewyearslater,theraciallawsinGermanyandtheCivilWarinSpaindisseminatedanewandsubstantialcontingentofrefugeesthroughoutEurope.
Weareaccustomedtodistinguishingbetweenstatelesspersonsandrefugees,butthisdistinction,nowasthen,isnotassimpleasitmightatfirstglanceappear.Fromthebeginning,manyrefugeeswhotechnicallywerenotstatelesspreferredtobecomesoratherthantoreturntotheirhomeland(thisisthecaseofPolishandRomanianJewswhowereinFranceorGermanyattheendofthewar,ortodayofvictimsofpoliticalpersecutionaswellasofthoseforwhomreturningtotheirhomelandwouldmeantheimpossibilityofsurvival).Ontheotherhand,theRussian,ArmenianandHungarianrefugeeswerepromptlydenationalizedbythenewSovietorTurkishgovernments,etc.ItisimportanttonotethatstartingwiththeperiodofWorldWarI,manyEuropeanstatesbegantointroducelawswhichpermittedtheirowncitizenstobedenaturalizedanddenationalized.ThefirstwasFrance,in1915,withregardtonaturalizedcitizensof"enemy"originsin1922theexamplewasfollowedbyBelgium,whichrevokedthenaturalizationofcitizenswhohadcommitted"antinational"actsduringthewarin1926theFascistregimeinItalypassedasimilarlawconcerningcitizenswhohadshownthemselvestobe"unworthyofItaliancitizenship"in1933itwasAustria'sturn,andsoforth,untilin1935theNurembergLawsdividedGermancitizensintofullcitizensandcitizenswithoutpoliticalrights.Theselawsandthemassstatelessnessthatresultedmarkadecisiveturningpointinthelifeofthemodernnationstateanditsdefinitiveemancipationfromthenaivenotionsof"people"and"citizen."
Thisisnottheplacetoreviewthehistoryofthevariousinternationalcommissionsthroughwhichthestates,theLeagueofNations,andlater,theUnitedNationsstemptedtodealwiththeproblemofrefugeesfromtheNansenBureauforRussianandArmenianrefugees(1921),totheHighCommissionforRefugeesfromGermany(1936),theIntergovernmentalCommitteeforRefugees(1938),andtheInternationalRefugeeOrganizationoftheUnitedNations(1946),uptothepresentHighCommissionforRefugees(1951)whoseactivity,accordingtoitsstatute,hasonlya"humanitarianandsocial,"notpolitical,character.Thebasicpointisthateverytimerefugeesnolonger
F ACUL T Y / G IOR G IO AGAMBEN / AR T ICL ES / W E R EF UGEES .
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representindividualcasesbutratheramassphenomenon(ashappenedbetweenthetwowars,andhashappenedagainnow),boththeseorganizationsandthesinglestateshaveproven,despitethesolemnevocationsoftheinalienablerightsofman,tobeabsolutelyincapablenotonlyofresolvingtheproblembutalsosimplyofdealingwithitadequately.Inthiswaytheentirequestionwastransferredintothehandsofthepoliceandofhumanitarianorganizations.
3.Thereasonsforthisimpotencelienotonlyintheselfishnessandblindnessofbureaucraticmachines,butinthebasicnotionsthemselvesthatregulatetheinscriptionofthenative(thatis,oflife)inthelegalorderofthenationstate.HannahArendttitledchapter5ofherbookImperialism,dedicatedtotheproblemofrefugees,"TheDeclineoftheNationStateandtheEndoftheRightsofMan."Thisformulationwhichinextricablylinksthefatesoftherightsofmanandthemodernnationalstate,suchthattheendofthelatternecessarilyimpliestheobsolescenceoftheformershouldbetakenseriously.Theparadoxhereisthatpreciselythefigurethatshouldhaveincarnatedtherightsofmanparexcellence,therefugee,constitutesinsteadtheradicalcrisisofthisconcept."TheconceptoftheRightsofman,"Arendtwrites,"basedonthesupposedexistenceofahumanbeingassuch,collapsedinruinsassoonasthosewhoprofesseditfoundthemselvesforthefirsttimebeforemenwhohadtrulylosteveryotherspecificqualityandconnectionexceptforthemerefactofbeinghumans."Inthenationstatesystem,thesocalledsacredandinalienablerightsofmanprovetobecompletelyunprotectedattheverymomentitisnolongerpossibletocharacterizethemasrightsofthecitizensofastate.Thisisimplicit,ifonethinksaboutit,intheambiguityoftheverytitleoftheDeclarationof1789,DeclarationdesdroitsdeI'hommeetducitoyen,inwhichitisunclearwhetherthetwotermsnametworealities,orwhetherinsteadtheyformahendiadys,inwhichthesecondtermis,inreality,alreadycontainedinthefirst.
Thatthereisnoautonomousspacewithinthepoliticalorderofthenationstateforsomethinglikethepuremaninhimselfisevidentatleastinthefactthat,eveninthebestofcases,thestatusoftherefugeeisalwaysconsideredatemporaryconditionthatshouldleadeithertonaturalizationortorepatriation.Apermanentstatusofmaninhimselfisinconceivableforthelawofthenationstate.
4.ItistimetostoplookingattheDeclarationsofRightsfrom1789tothepresentasiftheywereproclamationsofeternal,metajuridicalvaluesthatbindlegislatorstorespectthem,andtoconsidertheminsteadaccordingtotheirrealfunctioninthemodernstate.Infact,theRightsofManrepresentabovealltheoriginalfigureoftheinscriptionofbarenaturallifeinthelegalpoliticalorderofthenationstate.Thatbarelife(thehumancreature)whichintheancienregimebelongedtoGod,andintheclassicalworldwasclearlydistinct(aszoe)frompoliticallife(bios),nowtakescenterstageinthestate'sconcernsandbecomes,sotospeak,itsterrestrialfoundation.Nationstatemeansastatethatmakesnativityorbirth(thatis,ofthebarehumanlife)thefoundationofitsownsovereignty.Thisisthe(notevenveryobscure)senseofthefirstthreearticlesoftheDeclarationof1789:onlybecauseitwrotethenativeelementintothecoreofanypoliticalassociation(arts.1and2)coulditfirmlytie(inart.3)theprincipleofsovereigntytothenation(inaccordancewithitsetymon,natiooriginallymeantsimply"birth").Thefictionimplicithereisthatbirthimmediatelybecomesnation,suchthattherecanbenodistinctionbetweenthetwomoments.Rights,thatis,areattributabletomanonlyinthedegreetowhichheistheimmediatelyvanishingpresupposition(indeed,hemustneverappearsimplyasman)ofthecitizen.
5.Ifinthesystemofthenationstatetherefugeerepresentssuchadisquietingelement,itisaboveallbecausebybreakinguptheidentitybetweenmanandcitizen,betweennativityandnationality,therefugeethrowsintocrisistheoriginalfictionofsovereignty.Singleexceptionstothisprinciplehavealwaysexisted,ofcoursethenoveltyofourera,whichthreatenstheveryfoundationsofthenationstate,isthatgrowingportionsofhumanitycannolongerberepresentedwithinit.Forthisreasonthatis,inasmuchastherefugeeunhingestheoldtrinityofstate/nation/territorythisapparentlymarginalfiguredeservesrathertobeconsideredthecentralfigureofourpoliticalhistory.ItwouldbewellnottoforgetthatthefirstcampsinEuropewerebuiltasplacestocontrolrefugees,andthattheprogressioninternmentcamps,concentrationcamps,exterminationcampsrepresentsaperfectlyrealfiliation.OneofthefewrulestheNazisfaithfullyobservedinthecourseofthe"finalsolution"wasthatonlyaftertheJewsandgypsieswerecompletelydenationalized(evenofthatsecondclasscitizenshipthatbelongedtothemaftertheNuremberglaws)couldtheybesenttotheexterminationcamps.Whentherightsofmanarenolongertherightsofthecitizen,thenheistrulysacred,inthesensethatthistermhadinarchaicRomanlaw:destinedtodie.
6.Itisnecessaryresolutelytoseparatetheconceptoftherefugeefromthatofthe"Rightsofman,"andtoceaseconsideringtherightofasylum(whichinanycaseisbeingdrasticallyrestrictedinthelegislationoftheEuropeanstates)astheconceptualcategoryinwhichthephenomenonshouldbeimpressed(aglanceattherecentTestsuldirittod'asilobyA.Hellershowsthattodaythiscanleadonlytonauseatingconfusion).Therefugeeshouldbeconsideredforwhatheis,thatis,nothinglessthanaborderconceptthatradicallycallsintoquestiontheprinciplesofthenationstateand,atthesametime,helpsclearthefieldforanolongerdelayablerenewalofcategories.Inthemeantime,thephenomenonofsocalledillegalimmigrationintothecountriesoftheEuropeanCommunityhasassumed(andwillincreasinglyassumeincomingyears,withaforeseen20millionimmigrantsfromthecountriesofcentralEurope)featuresandproportionssuchastofullyjustifythisrevolutioninperspective.Whattheindustrializedstatesarefacedwithtodayisapermanentlyresidentmassofnoncitizens,whoneithercanbenorwanttobenaturalizedorrepatriated.Oftenthesenoncitizenshaveanationalityoforigin,butinasmuchastheyprefernottomakeuseoftheirstate'sprotectiontheyare,likerefugees,"statelessdefacto"Forthesenoncitizenresidents,T.Hammarcreatedtheneologismdenizens,whichhasthemeritofshowingthattheconceptcitizenisnolongeradequatetodescribethesociopoliticalrealityofmodernstates.Ontheotherhand,citizensoftheadvancedindustrializedstates(bothintheUnitedStatesandinEurope)manifest,bytheirgrowingdesertionofthecodifiedinstancesofpoliticalparticipation,anevidenttendencytotransformthemselvesintodenizens,intoconformitywiththewellknownprinciplethatsubstantialassimilationinthepresenceofformaldifferencesexasperateshatredandintolerance,xenophobicreactionsanddefensivemobilizationswillincrease.
7.BeforetheexterminationcampsarereopenedinEurope(whichisalreadystartingtohappen),nationstatesmustfindthecouragetocallintoquestiontheveryprincipleoftheinscriptionofnativityandthetrinityofstate/nation/territorywhichisbasedonit.Itissufficientheretosuggestonepossibledirection.Asiswellknown,oneoftheoptionsconsideredfortheproblemofJerusalemisthatitbecomethecapital,contemporaneouslyandwithoutterritorialdivisions,oftwodifferentstates.Theparadoxicalconditionofreciprocalextraterritoriality(or,better,aterritoriality)thatthiswouldimplycouldbegeneralizedasamodelofnewinternationalrelations.Instead
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oftwonationalstatesseparatedbyuncertainandthreateningboundaries,onecouldimaginetwopoliticalcommunitiesdwellinginthesameregionandinexodusoneintotheother,dividedfromeachotherbyaseriesofreciprocalextraterritorialities,inwhichtheguidingconceptwouldnolongerbetheiusofthecitizen,butrathertherefugiumoftheindividual.Inasimilarsense,wecouldlooktoEuropenotasanimpossible"Europeofnations,"whosecatastrophicresultscanalreadybeperceivedintheshortterm,butasanaterritorialorextraterritorialspaceinwhichalltheresidentsoftheEuropeanstates(citizensandnoncitizens)wouldbeinapositionofexodusorrefuge,andthestatusofEuropeanwouldmeanthecitizen'sbeinginexodus(obviouslyalsoimmobile).TheEuropeanspacewouldthusrepresentanunbridgeablegapbetweenbirthandnation,inwhichtheoldconceptofpeople(which,asiswellknown,isalwaysaminority)couldagainfindapoliticalsensebydecisivelyopposingtheconceptofnation(whichuntilnowhasundulyusurpedit).
Thisspacewouldnotcoincidewithanyhomogeneousnationalterritory,norwiththeirtopographicalsum,butwouldactontheseterritories,makingholesinthemanddividingthemtopologicallylikeinaLeidenjarorinaMoebiusstrip,whereexteriorandinteriorareindeterminate.Inthisnewspace,theEuropeancities,enteringintoarelationshipofreciprocalextraterritoriality,wouldrediscovertheirancientvocationascitiesoftheworld.Today,inasortofnoman'slandbetweenLebanonandIsrael,therearefourhundredandtwentyfivePalestinianswhowereexpelledbythestateofIsrael.AccordingtoHannahArendt'ssuggestion,thesemenconstitute"theavantgardeoftheirpeople."Butthisdoesnotnecessarilyoronlymeanthattheymightformtheoriginalnucleusofafuturenationalstate,whichwouldprobablyresolvethePalestinianproblemjustasinadequatelyasIsraelhasresolvedtheJewishquestion.Rather,thenoman'slandwheretheyhavefoundrefugehasretroactedontheterritoryofthestateofIsrael,makingholesinitandalteringitinsuchawaythattheimageofthatsnowcoveredhillhasbecomemoreaninternalpartofthatterritorythananyotherregionofHeretzIsrael.Itisonlyinalandwherethespacesofstateswillhavebeenperforatedandtopologicallydeformed,andthecitizenwillhavelearnedtoacknowledgetherefugeethathehimselfis,thatman'spoliticalsurvivaltodayisimaginable.
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