June 20

2:00 PM - 3:45 PM

2.A.05

Sabine Zimmermann

Abstract: Migration and mobility are no longer perceived as an exception or abnormality in a ‘postmigrant society’. However, ‘postmigrant conditions’ do not translate into easy access for migrants who arrive outside of the parameters of orderly migration. While European nations acknowledge the principle of asylum, massive efforts are made to prevent refugees from reaching the territory of the state where they could receive its protection. There are no linear paths for undocumented migrants wishing to gain immigration status in Europe. This paper analyses ‘phenomenological borders’ portrayed in two works that concern the ‘postmigrant societies’ Germany and Austria. The novel Gehen, ging, gegangen (2015) [Go, Went, Gone (2017)] by German writer Jenny Erpenbeck exposes the lived experience of non-privileged migrants from Africa whose tales of exile and displacement indicate that most of them will not be recognized as refugees despite the persecution they have suffered, due to the vagaries of both German refugee law and international treaties. The play Die Schutzbefohlenen (2013/2014) [Charges: The Supplicants (2017)] by Austrian writer Elfriede Jelinek contrasts the treatment of asylum seekers with real-life cases of ‘VIP foreigners’ who were granted speedy naturalization by the Austrian government. Both texts convey a blunt message: The narratives of those who do (and those who do not) arrive in ‘postmigrant societies’ without legal status, confirm that the gap between privileged and non-privileged migration is almost impossible to bridge. The displaced should not misread the ‘postmigrant label’ for a ‘welcome sign’.

Disciplines: Comparative Literature
Sociology

Substantive Tags: Ethics and Morality, Immigration/Migration, Social Inclusion, Territorial Politics, Western Europe

Research Networks: None of the Above

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