Performing and Counter-performing Borders: Feminist Stories of Migrant Rights Activism in the United Kingdom Alice Mukaka A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of East London for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy School of Social Sciences January 2019 Abstract Performing and Counter-Performing Borders: Feminist Stories of Migrant rights Activism in the United Kingdom This thesis examines the performance and performativity of migrant rights activism resisting and challenging the state bordering practices in the UK and providing a grid through which we can comprehend the multi-various migrant solidarities and struggles across the UK. The study presents an array of female voices, rising out of the current migrant rights movement. These include: a) nine women, whose journeys to becoming committed activists at the forefront of the movement are examined; b) an evaluation of the performances of Nine Lives Theatre and how it challenges conformity to dominant political scripts and c) the symbolic performances of three significant acts of resistance: Hope Space, the Yarl’s Wood demonstrations and the Refugees Welcome march. By exploring this chorus of narratives, the research enquires into the emergent interventions and developments of activism, and asks what materials, physical as well as symbolic, can be drawn upon in the ongoing task of un-scribing the state’s border markers. Situated within the feminist anti-bordering research tradition, the study combines narrative and performance-based methodological approaches and tells a story about multiple articulations of migrant dissent, whilst capturing more fully the dynamic quality of the struggle. The findings of this study point to a complexity of contingent and predisposed practices of state bordering in the asylum system and beyond. As borders are not static, so the migrant rights struggle is responsively fluid to counter them. Through narrative means and performance analysis of individuals and groups in the movement, this thesis seeks to articulate the necessity of counter-performance for sustained activism. i Table of Contents Performing and Counter-Performing Borders: Feminist Stories of Migrant Rights Activism in the United Kingdom i Abstract i Table of Contents ii Figures & Tables viii Acknowledgement ix Chapter 1: Histories and trajectories of migrants’ border resistance: a theoretical response 1 1.1 Defining and contextualising borders and border performance 1 1.2 The context for the research: Windrush - the act of making every migrant ‘illegal’ 2 1.3 The contemporary global and local context of bordering 6 1.4 The UK context: new laws and new implementations 11 1.4.1. Scripting the law and legislation 11 1.4.2. Staging operations: 2012-2018 13 1.5. Framing state border performance: performativity, visibility and multi-spatiality. 15 1.5.1. Framing and method 15 1.5.2. Borders are effectively performed into being 19 1.5.3. State bordering practices are highly visible 21 1.5.4. Borders on our streets 23 1.6. A border-counter performance 24 1.7. Thesis structure 26 Chapter 2: Theorising state border performance 30 2.1. Introduction 30 2.2. Border research literature 33 2.2.1 Defining border and bordering 33 2.2.2 Influential research on bordering 36 2.2.2.1 Balibar’s texts of bordering 36 2.2.2.2 Anzaldua and feminist border research 39 2.2.3 Why borders matter: key feminists’ debates and arguments 42 2.2.3.1 Citizenship as separation 43 2.2.3.3. Debates on illegality, differentiation and dehumanisation 45 2.2.3.4. Anti-racist and anti-imperial/colonial frameworks 52 2.2.3.5. Belonging and the rethinking of citizenship 58 2.2.4. Current trends in researching borders 60 2.3 Framing borders as a social performance 63 ii 2.3.1 The meaning of border performativity 64 2.3.1.1. Formal border performativity 65 2.3.1.2. Practical border performativity 66 2.3.1.3. Popular border performativity 66 2.4 Performance Literature 67 2.4.1. Understanding performance 67 2.4.2. Studying the world through the lens of performance 68 2.4.3. Tracing performance landscapes, understanding the ground rules 72 2.4.4. Politics and Performance Framework-PPF 74 2.4.5. Mapping the political performance –PPF deconstructed 75 2.4.5.1. The first axis maps the issue of representation 75 2.4.5.2. The second axis maps political performance and its effect 78 Chapter 3: Methodology 80 3.1. Introduction: rationale for the methodology 80 3.2. Methodology in theory 84 3.2.1. State bordering as performance: theoretical and methodological mapping 84 3.2.2. A performance and narrative approach to methodology 86 3.2.2.1. Political narratives 88 3.2.2.2. Narratives as expressions of lived experience 89 3.2.2.3. Understanding narratives in context 90 3.2.2.3.1. Stories by/ of refugees and asylum seekers 91 3.2.2.3.2. Narratives of processes of change 92 3.3. The practicalities of the research process (method) 94 3.3.1. Overview 95 3.3.2. Preparing for fieldwork 96 3.3.3. Mapping the terrain of activism 97 3.3.4. Recruitment 98 3.3.4.1. Activist participants 98 3.3.4.2 Hope Space participants 98 3.3.4.3. Nine Lives Theatre participation 99 3.3.5. Data collection 100 3.3.5.1. Life history data collection 100 3.3.5.2 Focus group and interview data collection 101 3.3.5.3. Nine Lives Theatre data collection 102 3.3.5.4. Participant observation at protests events 103 3.3.6. Ethical considerations 104 3.3.7. Transcription, analysis and dissemination 105 iii 3.3.7.1 Setbacks and challenges in handling data from interviews 106 3.3.7.2. Data revision and validation with participants 106 3.3.8. Organising Data 107 3.3.8.1 Life Histories 107 3.3.8.2. Focus groups 108 3.3.8.3. Nine Lives Theatre 108 3.3.8.4 Protest events 109 3.3.9 Dissemination 109 Chapter 4: Developing dramatis personae: a contour of key women at the forefront of migrant rights activism 110 4.1. Activists’ journeys to politicisation 110 4.2. Conceptual overview 112 4.3. Presentation of the findings 117 4.3.1 Significance of others and social political settings 119 4.3.1.1. Zita ’s Story 119 4.3.1.2. Debora’s Story 126 4.3.1.3. Liz’s Story 128 4.3.1.4. Zrinka’s Story 131 4.3.1.5. Lisa’s Story 134 4.3.1.6. Amal’s Story 137 4.3.2. Development of self-perception 140 4.3.2.1. On being a woman/feminist 141 4.3.2.2. On values and beliefs 144 4.3.2.3. On class 146 4.3.2.3. Summary of the development of self-perception 147 4.4. The meaning of commitment 148 4.5. Becoming the dramatis personae 153 Chapter 5: Activists talking about their organising practice: mapping the politics of strategic un-bordering 158 5.1. Introduction 158 5.2. Organisation of the chapter 160 5.3. Conceptual review 161 5.4. Findings 162 5.4.1 Activists defining organising: ‘organising is for life’ 162 5.4.2 Activists ascribing meaning to borders and boundaries 165 5.4.2.1. ‘It is a hostile environment’ 165 5.4.2.2. 'Borders are racialised' 169 iv 5.4.2.3 ‘Time for a time limit’ 173 5.4.3 Developing practical solidarities 176 5.4.3.1 Practical solidarities 176 5.3.3.2 Anti-racist frameworks 179 5.4.3.3. Feminisation of resistance 179 5.4.3.3.1. The Rights of Women Seeking Asylum: a Charter 180 5.4.3.3.2. Campaigning against detention of women 183 5.4.3.3.3.Representational politics beyond policy change 184 5.4.3.3.4. Women-only-space of self-care 185 5.4.3.4. Policy and systemic change 186 5.4.3.5. Building alliances 190 5.4.4 On measuring success and vision for the future 191 5.4.4.1. On measuring success 191 5.4.4.2 On visions for the future 193 5.4.4.3. Mentoring future mentors 195 5.5. Conclusion 196 Chapter 6: Countervailing the borders through performance: the making, staging and touring of Nine Lives Theatre 198 6.1. Nine Lives Theatre as a political agent for refugee/migrant rights activism 198 6.1.1. Introduction 198 6.1.2 Conceptual review and methodology 199 6.1.3. Organisation of the findings 203 6.2. The making and staging of Nine Lives Theatre 204 6.2.1 Positioning of author’s textual choices within the power-border matrix 206 6.2.2 Deconstructing the Poetics: the dialogical and discursive frames of Nine Lives 211 6.2.2.1. Frame 1: Understanding otherness 211 6.2.2.2. Frame 2: Everyday as a site of resistance 213 6.2.2.3. Frame 3: The violence of the (asylum) system 216 6.2.2.4. Frame 4: The legal limbo and representation inconsistencies 218 6.2.2.5. Frame 5: Stories of humanity and belonging 220 6.3. Envisioning alternatives: The touring of Nine Lives Theatre 222 6.3.1 Directorial aims and objectives 222 6.3.2 Audience engagement programme and activism 223 6.3.3 The mise en scene 224 6.3.3.1. The suitcase metaphor 225 6.3.3.2. The actor’s ‘make believe’ embodiment 228 6.3.4. Reception/ meaning making and interpretation of the political 229 6.4.