Membership of a Particular Social Group’

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Membership of a Particular Social Group’ LEGAL AND PROTECTION POLICY RESEARCH SERIES The ‘Ground with the Least Clarity’: A Comparative Study of Jurisprudential Developments relating to ‘Membership of a Particular Social Group’ Michelle Foster University of Melbourne, Australia DIVISION OF INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION AUGUST 2012 PPLA/2012/02 DIVISION OF INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) CP2500, 1211 Geneva 2 Switzerland E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.unhcr.org The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the United Nations or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This paper may be freely quoted, cited and copied for academic, educational or other non-commercial purposes without prior permission from UNHCR, provided that the source and authors are acknowledged. The paper is available online at http://www.unhcr.org/protect. © United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 2012. Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................... 2 2. THE EMERGENCE OF TWO DOMINANT APPROACHES: PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS/ EJUSDEM GENERIS AND SOCIAL PERCEPTION ....................................................................................... 5 2.1 THE REJECTION OF EARLIER APPROACHES AND SOME POINTS OF CONSENSUS ........... 5 2.2 PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS/EJUSDEM GENERIS ................................................................... 6 2.3 SOCIAL PERCEPTION/SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH ...................................................................... 9 2.4 SOME THEORETICAL NOTES ............................................................................................................... 12 3. THE ‘CODIFICATION’ OF THE PSG GROUND ......................................................................................... 13 3.1 UNHCR GUIDELINES .............................................................................................................................. 13 3.2 THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL’S QUALIFICATION DIRECTIVE ...................................................... 15 3.3 NATIONAL LEGISLATION AND GUIDELINES ............................................................................... 20 4. JUDICIAL INTERPRETATION SINCE 2002 ................................................................................................. 23 4.1 JURISDICTIONS THAT NOW REQUIRE SATISFACTION OF BOTH TESTS (NARROWING OF PSG ANALYSIS)................................................................................................................................... 24 4.1.1 Germany ............................................................................................................................................. 24 4.1.2 The United States ............................................................................................................................. 27 4.1.3 Others ................................................................................................................................................. 34 4.2 JURISDICTIONS THAT RETAIN THEIR PREVIOUS (SINGLE) APPROACH ............................ 36 4.3 JURISDICTIONS THAT REQUIRE EITHER OF THE TESTS TO BE SATISFIED (WIDENING OF PSG ANALYSIS)................................................................................................................................... 38 5. THE APPLICATION OF DIFFERENT TESTS TO PARTICULAR GROUPS .......................................... 40 5.1 WOMEN/GENDER/SEX AS A PSG ........................................................................................................ 40 5.2 CLAIMS BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY ................................ 48 5.3 FAMILY AS A PSG ..................................................................................................................................... 54 5.4 CLAIMS BASED ON AGE ........................................................................................................................ 57 5.5 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ............................................................................................................ 61 5.6 FORMER STATUS/ASSOCIATION (INCLUDING GANG MEMBERSHIP) ................................ 64 5.7 GROUPS BASED ON CLASS/WEALTH/OCCUPATION .................................................................. 67 5.7.1 Clan/Caste/Tribe ............................................................................................................................... 67 5.7.2 Economic Class/Wealth ................................................................................................................... 68 5.7.3 Occupation ......................................................................................................................................... 71 6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................... 73 1 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND One of the most complex aspects of establishing qualification for refugee status is the need to link a well-founded fear of being persecuted to a Convention ground, that is, to one’s race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group. 1 While each of the Convention grounds has been examined in case law across a very wide range of States Parties, none has been subject to the degree of rigorous scrutiny, debate and conflicting interpretative approaches as the most nebulous of the grounds: ‘membership of a particular social group’ (‘MPSG’).2 Due to several factors, including its last minute insertion by the drafters devoid of any explanation as to their intended meaning, 3 its arguable lack of self-evident ‘ordinary meaning’, and its concomitant ability to encompass a wide range of evolving contemporary claims, it has proven to be a promising yet highly controversial element of the refugee definition. While some early judicial forays into its interpretation were tempted to take an ‘I know it when I see it’ approach to identifying a ‘particular social group’,4 most decision-makers and particularly senior appellate courts now recognize that a commitment to the rule of law requires principled and clear standards to guide decision-makers, particularly in the context of decisions that ‘may The author is very grateful to Adrienne Anderson, Anne Kallies, Daniel Baker and Sienna Merope for very helpful research assistance with this paper and to Christopher Lum for editorial assistance. The excellent work of Adrienne Anderson is particularly acknowledged. 1 As the Summary Conclusions of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (‘UNHCR’) Expert Roundtable on ‘Membership of a Particular Social Group’ noted in 2001, it is the ‘Convention ground with the least clarity’: E. Feller et al. (eds), Refugee Protection in International Law: UNHCR’s Global Consultations on International Protection (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003), 312 [1]. 2 As explained by Lord Bingham in K v Secretary of State for the Home Department; Fornah v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2007] 1 AC 412 (‘Fornah’), in contrast to the other four grounds, ‘the meaning of “a particular social group”, for all the apparent simplicity and intelligibility of that expression, has been the subject of much consideration and analysis’: at 430. 3 As is well known, the inclusion of ‘particular social group’ was made at the suggestion of the representative of Sweden, Mr Petrén, who noted that ‘experience has shown that certain refugees had been persecuted because they belonged to particular social groups. The draft Convention made no provision for such cases, and one designed to cover them should accordingly be included’: United Nations General Assembly Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless persons, Summary Record of the Third Meeting held at Geneva, 3 July 1951, A/Conf 2/SR 3 at 14, cited in Applicant A v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1997) 190 CLR 225, 234 n 36 (Brennan J) (‘Applicant A’). However as Brennan J noted in Applicant A, ‘[n]either the Swedish proposal nor any reported discussion illuminates the intended scope of the term’. 4 See Applicant A (1997) 190 CLR 225. Kirby J stated that ‘courts and agencies should turn away from attempts to formulate abstract definitions. Instead, they should recognise ‘particular social groups’ on a case by case basis. This approach (…) accepts that an element of intuition on the part of decision-makers is inescapable, based on the assumption that they will recognise persecuted social groups of particularity when they see them’: at 307– 308. 2 determine the fate of individuals’,5 as is the case in refugee law. Further, it is well-accepted that any such interpretation must be undertaken in light of the rules of treaty interpretation set by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 6 notwithstanding that interpretation is usually undertaken in a domestic law setting. As concluded by the UNHCR expert roundtable on Membership of a Particular Social Group in 2001, ‘[t]he ground must be given its proper meaning within the refugee definition, in line with the object and purpose of the Convention’.7 The challenge is in identifying the ‘true autonomous and international meaning’8 of ‘particular social group’ that conforms with the object and purpose of the Convention and is able to be applied in a consistent and clear manner by decision-makers across
Recommended publications
  • The Politics of Roman Memory in the Age of Justinian DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the D
    The Politics of Roman Memory in the Age of Justinian DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Marion Woodrow Kruse, III Graduate Program in Greek and Latin The Ohio State University 2015 Dissertation Committee: Anthony Kaldellis, Advisor; Benjamin Acosta-Hughes; Nathan Rosenstein Copyright by Marion Woodrow Kruse, III 2015 ABSTRACT This dissertation explores the use of Roman historical memory from the late fifth century through the middle of the sixth century AD. The collapse of Roman government in the western Roman empire in the late fifth century inspired a crisis of identity and political messaging in the eastern Roman empire of the same period. I argue that the Romans of the eastern empire, in particular those who lived in Constantinople and worked in or around the imperial administration, responded to the challenge posed by the loss of Rome by rewriting the history of the Roman empire. The new historical narratives that arose during this period were initially concerned with Roman identity and fixated on urban space (in particular the cities of Rome and Constantinople) and Roman mythistory. By the sixth century, however, the debate over Roman history had begun to infuse all levels of Roman political discourse and became a major component of the emperor Justinian’s imperial messaging and propaganda, especially in his Novels. The imperial history proposed by the Novels was aggressivley challenged by other writers of the period, creating a clear historical and political conflict over the role and import of Roman history as a model or justification for Roman politics in the sixth century.
    [Show full text]
  • Immigration's Future: Closing the Door on the American Dream?
    Barry Law Review Volume 24 Article 2 Issue 1 Barry Law Review: Fall 2018 1-1-2019 Immigration's Future: Closing The oD or On The American Dream? Ritcy Canelon Follow this and additional works at: https://lawpublications.barry.edu/barrylrev Part of the Immigration Law Commons, International Law Commons, Jurisprudence Commons, Legislation Commons, and the Other Law Commons Recommended Citation Ritcy Canelon (2019) "Immigration's Future: Closing The oorD On The American Dream?," Barry Law Review: Vol. 24 : Iss. 1 , Article 2. Available at: https://lawpublications.barry.edu/barrylrev/vol24/iss1/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ Barry Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Barry Law Review by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Barry Law. : Immigration's Future IMMIGRATION’S FUTURE: CLOSING THE DOOR ON THE AMERICAN DREAM? Ritcy Canelon* I. INTRODUCTION History repeats itself, sometimes with new characters, new scenarios, or new twists. Throughout its history, the world has continuously seen people flee in masses from tyranny, wars, and other devastations. In the United States, the first settlers were fleeing from the religious oppression from their native homes.1 We study his- tory to feign we’ve learned from our past while ignoring all the signs of its reoccur- rence. If we never learn from history, we are Bound to repeat it, and the progress for our future may be halted by not fixing the problems from our past. The history of human immigration is not one that should be ignored. As the
    [Show full text]
  • Supreme Court of the United States
    No-_____ IN THE Supreme Court of the United States YOLANDA SANCHEZ-OCHOA, JOSE PEREZ-MURILLO, AND HECTOR PEREZ-SANCHEZ, Petitioners, v. JEFFERSON B. SESSIONS, III, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES, Respondent. On Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI BLAKE P. SOMERS COUNSEL OF RECORD BLAKE P. SOMERS, LLC 114 E. 8th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 513.587.2892 [email protected] Counsel for Petitioners i QUESTIONS PRESENTED Petitioners seek asylum in the United States after receiving threats on their life from gang members. Petitioners’ neighbors had received similar threats, and were brutally murdered when they refused to comply with the gang’s demands. The Petitioners fled Mexico to escape death. The immigration judge found the Petitioners credible, and all agency and court decisions have recognized that this nuclear family faces a true, clear, and present danger to their safety and welfare upon their return to Mexico. But all agencies and courts have rejected Petitioners’ claims, finding, among other things, that Petitioners’ proposed “particular social group” was not cognizable under the Immigration and Nationality Act. At issue in this case is the Board of Immigration Appeals’ standard for determining when an applicant claims membership in a particular social group as a basis for asylum per 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(42)(A). In Matter of Acosta, 19 I&N Dec. 211 (BIA 1985), the Board of Immigration Appeals held a particular social group (PSG) must share an immutable characteristic. In a series of cases in 2008 and 2014, the Board of Immigration Appeals added two requirements to this standard: a group must be socially visible or distinct, and it must be sufficiently particular.
    [Show full text]
  • The Integration Outcomes of U.S. Refugees
    THE INTEGRATION OUTCOMES OF U.S. REFUGEES Successes and Challenges By Randy Capps and Kathleen Newland with Susan Fratzke, Susanna Groves, Gregory Auclair, Michael Fix, and Margie McHugh MPI NATIONAL CENTER ON IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION POLICY THE INTEGRATION OUTCOMES OF U.S. REFUGEES Successes and Challenges Randy Capps and Kathleen Newland with Susan Fratzke, Susanna Groves, Gregory Auclair, Michael Fix, and Margie McHugh June 2015 Acknowledgments This report was originally prepared to inform the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) roundtable “Mismatch: Meeting the Challenges of Refugee Resettlement,” held in Washington, DC in April 2014. The private meeting convened resettlement providers, federal and state-level government officials, and civil-society stakeholders for a candid conversation on the strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. refugee resettlement program, and future directions for policy development and program expansion. The roundtable and this report were supported by a grant from the J. M. Kaplan Fund. Additional support was provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. © 2015 Migration Policy Institute. All Rights Reserved. Cover Design and Layout: Liz Heimann, MPI No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Migration Policy Institute. A full-text PDF of this document is available for free download from www.migrationpolicy.org. Information for reproducing excerpts from this report can be found at www.migrationpolicy.org/about/copyright-policy. Inquiries can also be directed to: Permissions Department, Migration Policy Institute, 1400 16th Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036, or by contacting [email protected].
    [Show full text]
  • The Nepali Caste System and Culturally Competent Mental
    THE NEPALI CASTE SYSTEM AND CULTURALLY COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT: EXPLORING STRATIFICATION, STRESS, AND INTEGRATION. A Dissertation Presented to The Graduate Faculty at The University of Akron In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Scott Swiatek May 2021 THE NEPALI CASTE SYSTEM AND CULTURALLY COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT: EXPLORING STRATIFICATION, STRESS, AND INTEGRATION. Scott Swiatek Dissertation Approved: Accepted: ___________________________ _____________________________ Advisor Department Chair Dr. Juan Xi Dr. Rebecca Erickson ___________________________ ______________________________ Committee Member Dean of the College Dr. Clare Stacey Dr. Mitchell S. Mckinney ___________________________ _____________________________ Committee Member Dean of the Graduate School Dr. Manacy Pai Dr. Marnie Saunders ___________________________ _____________________________ Committee Member Date Dr. Kathy Feltey ___________________________ Committee Member Dr. Marnie Watson ii ABSTRACT During the late 1990s, the Northern Bhutanese enacted policies marginalizing Bhutanese of Nepali Descent. Thousands of Bhutanese refugees were forcibly displaced to Nepal and established refugee camps where they lived for decades. While in the camps, refugees encountered traumatic life events, including torture, imprisonment, and sexual violence. Starting in 2008 and continuing for years. Bhutanese/Nepali refugees were resettled in the Akron area and encounter a new set of acculturation stressors related to finding employment, learning English, and reestablishing a new set of social networks. Older adults may cling to the Nepali caste system to cope with the unique stressors during the integration process. For over 100 years, people of Nepali descent subscribed to Muluki Ain, which codified discrimination against lower castes and mandated every individual be assigned a caste. Further, members of the ethnic and religious minority were often placed in the lower castes.
    [Show full text]
  • Slavery and Exploitation of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
    Struggling to survive: Slavery and exploitation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon 1 The Freedom Fund plays a critical role to [Slavery] is happening identify and invest in the most effective everywhere... front line efforts to end slavery and human Lebanese municipality official trafficking, bringing together a wide range of partners committed to this cause. Commissioned by the Freedom Fund, this report examines the manifestations I know a 12 year old girl of slavery and human trafficking among who has packed her toys Syrian refugees in Lebanon. It draws on in a bag because she has interviews with Syrian refugees in Lebanon, to work. She doesn’t want representatives from Lebanese and people in the camp to see international NGOs, Syrian organisations, UN bodies and Lebanese government her play with her toys and officials. The study, which was conducted think she is young and during January and February 2016, unfit to work. also reviews other recent research and Lebanese municipality official vulnerability assessments. 2 Contents 2 4 5 Executive summary Recommendations Syrian refugees in Lebanon: the growing risk of slavery and trafficking 7 10 12 Child labour Child marriage Sexual exploitation 14 16 21 Forced labour Factors contributing to Conclusion slavery and trafficking of Syrian refugees Acknowledgement We are grateful and humbled by the time and willingness that women, men and children showed in accepting to share their experience with us. We would also like to thank individuals and organisations working on the Syrian refugees crisis for taking time from their busy schedules to share their knowledge and analysis. Dr Katharine Jones Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University Contact: [email protected] Leena Ksaifi Independent Consultant and Director of The George Ksaifi Organization Contact: [email protected] Cover image © Tabitha Ross 1 Executive Summary Since it began in 2011, the conflict in Syria has crisis that has unfolded over the past five years.
    [Show full text]
  • Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
    Responses to Information Requests - Immigration and Refugee Board of... https://irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/country-information/rir/Pages/index.aspx?doc=4... Responses to Information Requests - Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada India: Treatment of Dalits by society and authorities; availability of state protection (2016- January 2020) 1. Overview According to sources, the term Dalit means "'broken'" or "'oppressed'" (Dalit Solidarity n.d.a; MRG n.d.; Navsarjan Trust n.d.a). Sources indicate that this group was formerly referred to as "'untouchables'" (Dalit Solidarity n.d.a; MRG n.d.; Navsarjan Trust n.d.a). They are referred to officially as "Scheduled Castes" (India 13 July 2006, 1; MRG n.d.; Navsarjan Trust n.d.a). The Indian National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) identified that Scheduled Castes are communities that "were suffering from extreme social, educational and economic backwardness arising out of [the] age-old practice of untouchability" (India 13 July 2006, 1). The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) [1] indicates that the list of groups officially recognized as Scheduled Castes, which can be modified by the Parliament, varies from one state to another, and can even vary among districts within a state (CHRI 2018, 15). According to the 2011 Census of India [the most recent census (World Population Review [2019])], the Scheduled Castes represent 16.6 percent of the total Indian population, or 201,378,086 persons, of which 76.4 percent are in rural areas (India 2011). The census further indicates that the Scheduled Castes constitute 18.5 percent of the total rural population, and 12.6 percent of the total urban population in India (India 2011).
    [Show full text]
  • Particularized Social Groups and Categorical Imperatives in Refugee
    American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law Volume 23 Issue 4 Article 2 2015 Particularized Social Groups and Categorical Imperatives in Refugee Law: State Failures to Recognize Gender and the Legal Reception of Gender Persecution Claims in Canada, The United Kingdom, and the United States Melanie Randall The University of Western Ontario, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/jgspl Part of the Civil Rights and Discrimination Commons, Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, Human Rights Law Commons, Immigration Law Commons, International Humanitarian Law Commons, International Law Commons, and the Law and Gender Commons Recommended Citation Randall, Melanie (2015) "Particularized Social Groups and Categorical Imperatives in Refugee Law: State Failures to Recognize Gender and the Legal Reception of Gender Persecution Claims in Canada, The United Kingdom, and the United States," American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law: Vol. 23 : Iss. 4 , Article 2. Available at: https://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/jgspl/vol23/iss4/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington College of Law Journals & Law Reviews at Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Randall: Particularized Social Groups and Categorical Imperatives in Refug PARTICULARIZED SOCIAL GROUPS AND CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVES IN REFUGEE LAW: STATE FAILURES TO RECOGNIZE GENDER AND THE LEGAL RECEPTION OF GENDER PERSECUTION CLAIMS IN CANADA, THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND THE UNITED STATES MELANIE RANDALL, PH.D., LL.B.
    [Show full text]
  • Refugee Behavioral Health National and Regional Resources Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
    Refugee Behavioral Health National and Regional Resources Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ORR provides refugees and other eligible populations with opportunities to maximize their potential in the United States, linking people in need to critical resources to assist them in becoming integrated members of American society. Refugee Health: Many factors can affect refugee health, including conditions in the country of origin or refugee camp. Without feeling healthy, it is difficult to work, to attend school, or to take care of a family. Physical and emotional wellness and access to healthcare are foundations for successful resettlement. ORR’s Division of Refugee Health http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/programs/refugee-health o Women's Health Videos: A four-part video series, “Somali Refugee Women: Learn about your Health!” covers a variety of health issues, including reproductive health, prenatal care, pregnancy, cancer screenings, diet, exercise and more. Refugee Health Technical Assistance Center http://www.RefugeeHealthTA.org o Access to Care: Affordable Care Act, Language Access (including interpreter best practices), Translated Health Education Materials o Refugee Health Updates: News, Resources, Funding , Trainings and Events Refugees and the Affordable Care Act (video in several languages and materials): http://refugeehealthta.org/access-to-care/affordable-care-act/resources-for-providers-and-refugees/ http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/health Refugee Health Information Network http://www.RHIN.org
    [Show full text]
  • Refugee Definition
    REFUGEE, ASYLUM, AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE (RAIO) RAIO DIRECTORATE – OFFICER TRAINING RAIO Combined Training Program REFUGEE DEFINITION TRAINING MODULE DATE (see schedule of revisions): 12/20/2019 Refugee Definition This Page Left Blank Intentionally USCIS: RAIO Directorate – Officer Training DATE (see schedule of revisions): 12/20/2019 RAIO Combined Training Program Page 2 of 27 Refugee Definition RAIO Directorate – Officer Training / RAIO Combined Training Program REFUGEE DEFINITION Training Module MODULE DESCRIPTION: This module discusses the definition of a refugee as codified in the Immigration and Nationality Act and its interpretation in administrative and judicial case law. TERMINAL PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE(S) When adjudicating a request for asylum or refugee resettlement, you will correctly apply the law to determine eligibility for asylum in the United States or resettlement in the United States as a refugee. 0) ENABLING PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES Explain the elements necessary to establish that an individual is a refugee. Explain eligibility issues raised by facts presented in a case. Describe how to determine nationality, if any, of an applicant. • INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS • Interactive Presentation • Discussion • Group and individual practical exercises METHOD(S) OF EVALUATION • Multiple-choice exam REQUIRED READING USCIS: RAIO Directorate – Officer Training DATE (see schedule of revisions): 12/20/2019 RAIO Combined Training Program Page 3 of 27 Refugee Definition INA §101(a)(42) • Required Reading – International and Refugee Adjudications Required Reading – Asylum Adjudications ADDITIONAL RESOURCES UNHCR Handbook • Additional Resources – International and Refugee Adjudications Additional Resources – Asylum Adjudications CRITICAL TASKS SOURCE: The Tasks listed below are from the Asylum Division’s 2001 Revalidation. These tasks will need to be modified to reflect the results of the RAIO Directorate – Officer Training Validation study.
    [Show full text]
  • The Last Horizons of Roman Gaul: Communication, Community, and Power at the End of Antiquity
    The Last Horizons of Roman Gaul: Communication, Community, and Power at the End of Antiquity The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Wilkinson, Ryan Hayes. 2015. The Last Horizons of Roman Gaul: Communication, Community, and Power at the End of Antiquity. Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:17467211 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA The Last Horizons of Roman Gaul: Communication, Community, and Power at the End of Antiquity A dissertation presented by Ryan Hayes Wilkinson to The Department of History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the subject of History Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts May 2015 © 2015 Ryan Hayes Wilkinson All rights reserved. Dissertation Advisor: Professor Michael McCormick Ryan Hayes Wilkinson The Last Horizons of Roman Gaul: Communication, Community, and Power at the End of Antiquity Abstract In the fifth and sixth centuries CE, the Roman Empire fragmented, along with its network of political, cultural, and socio-economic connections. How did that network’s collapse reshape the social and mental horizons of communities in one part of the Roman world, now eastern France? Did new political frontiers between barbarian kingdoms redirect those communities’ external connections, and if so, how? To address these questions, this dissertation focuses on the cities of two Gallo-Roman tribal groups.
    [Show full text]
  • Revisiting the Achievements of the Ancient Celts
    University of Louisville ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses College of Arts & Sciences 5-2013 Revisiting the achievements of the Ancient Celts : evidence that the Celtic civilization surpassed contemporary European civilizations in its technical sophistication and social complexity, and continues to influence later cultures. Adam Dahmer University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/honors Part of the Political Science Commons Recommended Citation Dahmer, Adam, "Revisiting the achievements of the Ancient Celts : evidence that the Celtic civilization surpassed contemporary European civilizations in its technical sophistication and social complexity, and continues to influence later cultures." (2013). College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses. Paper 11. http://doi.org/10.18297/honors/11 This Senior Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Arts & Sciences at ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has retained all other copyrights. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Dahmer 1 A Lost Civilization as Great as Any Scholars traditionally associate the advancement of Western culture from antiquity to the Renaissance with the innovations of the Romans and their Mediterranean cultural predecessors, the Greeks and Etruscans, to the extent that the word "civilization" often seems synonymous with Romanization. In doing so, historians unfairly discount the cultural achievements of other Indo-European peoples who achieved civilization in their own right and contributed much to ancient and modern life.
    [Show full text]