Feeling the border : everyday solidarity activism at the internal borders of Europe

Abstract

How does activism in solidarity with migrants in border areas transform activists’ political subjectivities? Based on ethnographic fieldwork with the solidarity movement with migrants at the internal borders of Europe, I explore how the intersection between space and affect shapes the creation of meaning, coherence and ambivalence in activists’ experiences at the border. Building on social movement research that has focused on the role of emotions and that of space in explaining movements’ existence and strategies, I argue for a conceptual framework that considers these elements together to study everyday activism. Spatiality matters for activists’ subjectivities as the border amplifies a series of interconnected issues, creating a space where political and moral questions regarding human rights, the freedom of movement or the legitimacy of borders become particularly dense. Affects and emotions are also key to meaning-making and the constitution of one’s subjectivity. They shape political mobilisations, drive collective dynamics, and make some action possible; they underpin attachment to people and political causes, and place bodies and feelings at the centre of politics. I argue that considerations from and about the border are inseparable from their emotional dimension, as they engage with questions of justice and are oriented towards social change. The dissertation is based on a multi-sited ethnography of the solidarity movement with migrants along the Italian borderlands between 2021 and 2023. Methodologically, I conducted political ethnography in four border areas, sharing daily activities and informal discussions with informants. I engaged with various political collectives and associations, through activities such as the distribution of goods, regular assemblies, and the monitoring of critical areas; I volunteered in a day facility, attended public events and demonstrations, shared living spaces, and participated in collective reflections. I develop the thesis through fieldnotes, around thirty in-depth interviews with activists, and documents and newspaper articles. Throughout the thesis, I analyse the relationship between the border – understood as material and symbolic – and affect – encompassing emotions, sensations and feelings – from different angles. First, I show how involvement in a movement is intertwined with emotional connections and experiences. Second, I use the body as a scale of analysis to unveil how we can observe both the blurring of borders and, at the same time, the enactment of social boundaries through spatial dynamics. It brings to light the ambiguities between political goals and the means to reach them. Third, I focus on the emotional connection built around and with space in everyday life. I build on the concept of emotional geographies to demonstrate how activists sense the border and engage in practices that transform it, materially and symbolically. Finally, I explore what this thesis can bring to the conceptualisation of the border itself by suggesting ways to bridge social movement studies and conceptual analysis with an emotional sensibility.