Border Regimes, Racialisation Processes and Resistance in Germany : An Ethnographic Study of Protest and Solidarity

Illustrating new resistance strategies and mobilisations, this volume examines how EU citizens and refugee populations in Germany have opposed asylum policies and coped with hostile migration regimes. Taking as her starting point occupations of a Berlin square in 2012, the author weaves an auto-ethnographic account of her own involvement in solidarity and refugee resistance groups with archival examinations of various strategies. The book analyzes how activism is sustained in multiple ways: media solidarity groups challenge mainstream depictions; radio shows attempt to decolonize the media and resist the category of ‘refugee’; a group of women comprised of migrants and asylum-seekers publish their accounts; solidarity groups help migrants to find temporary housing; campaigns align with existing groups or engage with political conversations more broadly to challenge populism, racism, and anti-migrant sentiment. As she bridges practical solidarity, media activism, and other strategies, Fazila Bhimji builds a framework to show how these tactics interrelate, interrogating specifically if the fragmentation of strategies limits anti-racist struggles, or whether providing manifold outlets for a collective struggle helps to build solidarity. Acknowledgements 6 Contents 8 List of Figures 11 Chapter 1: Introduction 12 Aims of the Book 14 Contentious Politics, Solidarity, and Humanitarianism 15 Refugee Activism 16 Solidarity Work 17 Volunteer Work in Germany 19 Humanitarian Work 22 Coming to Berlin and Doing Ethnography 25 Organisation of the Book 29 References 30 Chapter 2: The Everyday Racialisation of Refugees in German State and Society 33 Introduction 33 Institutional and Everyday Racism at Refugee Camps and Reception Centres in Germany 36 Camps, State Power, and Institutional Racism 38 Racialisation and Racist Violence 42 Migration and Populist Racist Mobilisation 46 Living with Deportability and Detainability 47 Anti-Immigrant Anxieties in the Political Arena and German Society 51 Concluding Comments 53 References 54 Chapter 3: Heterogeneity and the Dynamics of Tent Protests and Squatting: The Refugee Movement at Oranienplatz 58 The Refugee Movement 2012–2014 58 Oranienplatz as a Site of Anti-Racist Protests 60 Heterogeneous Struggles at Oranienplatz 64 Diversity of Demands by Refugee Groups 65 The Formation of Media Activists, Solidarity, and Cultural Groups 66 References 72 Chapter 4: Practical Solidarity, Encounters, and Transformative Possibilities: A Case Study 73 Introduction 73 SPO: Anti-racist Politics Versus Charity 77 Political Networking 81 Working Structure of Schlafplatzorga 84 Networking with Solidarians 92 Hospitality and Hosting Refugees 100 Contact Persons and Refugees 108 Solidarity Events and Sociality 111 Solidarity Parties 114 The Techno Festival 118 Solidarity at Demonstrations 122 The Küfas 125 Concluding Comments 134 References 135 Chapter 5: Intersectional Feminist Solidarity and Activism amongst Refugees and Migrants at International Women’s Space in Berlin 138 Introduction 138 The Political Culture of IWS 143 Funding Matters and IWS 145 IWS and Meeting Spaces 147 The Women at IWS 149 Meetings at IWS 152 Lawyer’s Workshops at IWS 154 ‘Giving Voice’ and Narratives of Intersectional Experiences 157 Book Launches and Networking 166 The Conference as a Collective Gathering 168 IWS and Advocacy for a Roma Woman 176 Roma Woman Is Suing Racist Attacker 177 Street Protests, Speeches, and Alliances 178 Concluding Comments 183 References 186 Chapter 6: There Is Empowerment in the Air: Media Activists Decolonise the Radio 187 Introduction 187 Participating on the Radio 188 The Beginning of Wearebornfree Empowerment Radio Project 189 Emancipation, Decoloniality, and Humanity on the Radio 193 Wearebornfree Empowerment Radio and Sovereignty 197 We!R Radio’s Shows 200 The Format, Content, and Scheduling 200 The Radio’s Intended Audience 202 Greetings from the Radio 203 Music on Wearebornfree Radio 203 Mediating Rastafari Culture and Resisting the Babylon System on the Radio 205 The Polizei, Deportations, and Anti-Racist Activism 212 Africa and Transnational Solidarity 224 Expressions of Solidarity on International Women’s Day 230 Encounters with Artists, Alliance Building, and Working with the ‘Left’ 232 Concluding Comments 240 References 243 Chapter 7: Conclusion: Reconsidering Refugee Activism and Solidarity 245 Political Ideologies and Activism and Solidarity 247 Solidarity and Activism as Extensions of Refugee Protests 250 Political Activism, Practical Solidarity, and Humanity 251 Impact of Refugee Mobilisation and Solidarity Work 252 References 254 Index 255