Embodying Borders Everyday realities at the Euro-African Frontier Renee Middendorp Supervisor: Dr. Bram Jansen Second Assessor: Dr. Alberto Arce Thesis International Development Studies Sociology of Development and Change Wageningen University and Research Centre August, 2016 1 Embodying Borders Everyday realities at the Euro-African Frontier Major Thesis Renee Middendorp Student number: 890529570060 Supervisor: Dr. Bram Jansen Second assessor: Dr. Alberto Arce International Development Studies Wageningen University and Research Centre Wageningen, August 1st 2016 Word count: 39304 Picture on front page: graffiti wall art made by an Italian artist in Melilla, Spain. Translation: ‘the essential is invisible to the eyes’. Picture taken by the author. All pictures depicted in this thesis have been taken by the author, unless indicated differently. 2 Clandestino I come only with my punishment There comes only my conviction Running is my fate In order to deceive the law Lost in the heart Of the great Babylon They call me the clandestine 'cause I don't carry any papers To a northern city I went for work I left my life behind Between Ceuta and Gibraltar I'm a just a rake on the sea A ghost in the city My life is prohibited Says the authority I'm the sell-out of law Black clandestine hand Peruvian Clandestine African Clandestine Marijuana illegal I come only with my punishment There comes only my conviction To run is my fate In order to deceive the law Lost in the heart Of the great Babylon They call me the clandestine 'cause I don't carry any papers Algerian Clandestine Nigerian Clandestine Bolivian Clandestine Black illegal hand Manu Chao, translated from Spanish 3 Content Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 6 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 9 Research questions ........................................................................................................................... 10 Research setting and positionality .................................................................................................... 11 The role of the anthropologist .......................................................................................................... 13 Note on “illegality” categorizations .................................................................................................. 14 The quest for traces and ‘elephant paths’ ........................................................................................ 16 Structure of the thesis ....................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 2 - Theoretical Framework...................................................................................................... 18 Embodiment ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Intra-action ................................................................................... Fout! Bladwijzer niet gedefinieerd. Border studies : studying bordering .................................................................................................. 19 The securitized border ...................................................................................................................... 21 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Chapter 1 : Rise of the Valla .................................................................................................................. 24 The walling out of unwanted outsiders............................................................................................. 24 Rise of the fences : three major turning points................................................................................. 26 Legitimizing fortification practices .................................................................................................... 28 Externalization of the migration question ........................................................................................ 29 The fine line between care and control : legitimizing militarization through humanitarianism ...... 30 Concluding remarks : setting the stage for the border spectacle ..................................................... 31 Close-up: Mapping the enclave ............................................................................................................. 32 Chapter 3 : The journey into illegality ................................................................................................... 35 Oujda ................................................................................................................................................. 36 Migrant as modern day homo sacer? ................................................................................................ 37 Conclusion: bordering in the borderland .......................................................................................... 40 Interlude ................................................................................................................................................ 41 Chapter 4 : Facing the Valla .................................................................................................................. 42 The transformative power of the border crossing ............................................................................ 42 The ‘show of enforcement’ at the border crossing ........................................................................... 43 Militarization put into action : asaltos .............................................................................................. 46 ....................................................................................................................................................... 47 The visual economy of the border crossing ...................................................................................... 47 4 Beyond the spectacle: off-scene realities ......................................................................................... 49 Guardia’s ambivalence ...................................................................................................................... 51 Conclusion: bordering at the border-crossing .................................................................................. 57 Interlude ................................................................................................................................................ 58 Chapter 5 – Stuck in limbo .................................................................................................................... 59 The CETI ............................................................................................................................................. 59 Make-believe documents, waiting and phony freedom ................................................................... 60 Return of the camp............................................................................................................................ 64 Outside the CETI ................................................................................................................................ 65 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 67 Conclusion : Embodying borders ........................................................................................................... 68 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................... 72 Appendix I .............................................................................................................................................. 75 Figures Figure 1: Map of Melilla I………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7 Figure 2: Map of Melilla II……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8 Figure 3: Guardia Civil group posing below Franco’s statue………………………………………………………..26 Figure 4: Graphic of the vallas between Morocco and Melilla…………………………………………………….44 Figure 5: Snapshot of video footage October 2014…………………………………………………………………..…49 Figure 6: Fence flora……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………52 Figure 7: Porteadores at Barrio Chino …………………………………………………………………………………………56 Boxes Box 1: Border transformations in light of securitization………………………………………………………………21 Box 2: 2005 asaltos ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………28 Box 3: Visiting the migrant camp in Mount Gurugu…………………………………………………………………….39 Box 4: Video: Expulsion of migrants in the border spectacle……………………………………………………….47 Box 5: A social worker’s story …………………………………………………………………………………………………….63 5 Acknowledgements This thesis is the final assignment of the master International Development Studies at the Wageningen University. Doing research in Melilla was a wonderful experience. Special thanks go out to my room mates Fran, Mili and Pana who showed me their “Melillan life-style”. Because of them I felt at home. I want to thank Dr. Bram Jansen for his supervision and guidance as my supervisor. His enthusiasm and interest in migration issues are contagious