The Good Ukrainian, the Bad Syrian, the Ugly Afghan (and the Forgotten Ones). Reframing Migration Governance through Michel Foucault’s and Hannah Arendt’s Legacies
The Good Ukrainian, the Bad Syrian, the Ugly Afghan (and the Forgotten Ones). Reframing Migration Governance through Michel Foucault’s and Hannah Arendt’s Legacies
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Date
2023
Authors
Fagard, Clarisse
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Global Campus of Human Rights
Abstract
The war raging in Ukraine compels more than ever to confront
the impasses and divergences of current migration policies.
The present study provides a philosophical perspective on the
refugee status and seeks to address the contradictions inherent
to the latter policies. By drawing upon four major refugee movements,
it reviews the emergency responses deployed in their wake,
exposing asylum policy inequities and differential treatment of
refugees on the basis of their situation.
Building on the work of Michel Foucault and Hannah Arendt,
the study delves into the concepts of governmentality, power, subjectivity,
agency, biopower and biopolitics. Through the interlacing
of the two authors’ perspectives, the paper will attempt to reveal
subtle connections and suggest avenues for reflection on the
paradoxes and problems inherent in their respective theories. The
thesis comprises four parts, which successively explore the notion
of biopower and its applicability to refugees, the concept of biopolitics
and the influence on migration policies, Gilles Deleuze
and Félix Guattari’s enlightenments to a revisited appreciation of
biopolitics, and lastly the constructing of a political space of resistance
for refugees.
Through a theoretical approach and an exploration of key
concepts such as refugees, migrants, asylum, freedom and citizenship,
it is hoped to raise reflexive stances on current dilemmas
among policymakers in the migration field. The study further
proposes a forward-looking approach to exploring alternative
representations of refugees, possibly aimed at shifting migratory
policies.
Description
Second semester University: University College, Dublin.
Keywords
migrations,
asylum,
refugees,
citizenship,
Ukraine,
Syria,
Afghanistan