Two special issues have recently been published that deal with the history of deportation in Germany and Switzerland, two democratic states: Geschichte(n) der Deportation. Diskurse, Praktiken und Infrastruktur im 20. und 21. Jahrhundert in der Schweiz (Itinera 52) and Ausweisen – Rückführen – Abschieben. Migration umkehren? Ausweisungen und Abschiebungen im liberalen Deutschland (Zeithistorische Forschungen 1/2023).
In a review essay, Lauren Stokes (Evanston, Illinois, USA) presents the articles from these two publications under three connecting themes: “First, they make a strong case for extending deportation studies to also include practices of purportedly ‘voluntary’ return. Second, they urge readers to understand deportation as a practice that begins before and extends after the act of forced removal. Finally, the works are centrally concerned with issues of visibility and invisibility” she writes. The two special issues would collectively demonstrate the multi-faceted violence of deportation.
Furthermore, Stokes draws parallels with current developments in the USA and Germany. Finally, she proposes expanding deportation studies to include the question of the “many instances where the ‘deportation state’ enjoys popular consent” and explains why Switzerland could be a particularly useful test case for such an inquiry.
The review essay and the two special issues are available online and free of charge.
Stokes, Lauren: Review Essay: Blumenthal, Nicolas; Häberlein, Jana; Lüthi, Barbara (Hrsg.): Geschichte(n) der Deportation / Histoire(s) de la déportation. Diskurse, Praktiken und Infrastruktur im 20. und 21. Jahrhundert in der Schweiz / Discours, pratiques et infrastructures en Suisse, 20e et 21e siècle, Basel 2024 (Itinera 52) / Panagiotidis, Jannis; Wagner, Florian (Hrsg.): Ausweisen – Rückführen – Abschieben, Göttingen 2023 (Zeithistorische Forschungen 1/2023), in: infoclio.ch, 22.10.2015, <https://www.infoclio.ch/de/rez?rid=151854>.
