Palestinian Refugee Camps: Disciplinary Space and Territory of Exception

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of living in the Palestinian camps on the socio-economic situation and on the construction of political and national identities. It first presents an overview of the living conditions of Palestinian refugees with a comparison between the lives of the camp dwellers and those of other refugees. Then it argues that there are major differences between closed and open refugee camps, and that the camp setting as a closed space is not a 'natural' setting for refugees, but that it is a matter of disciplinary power. It also demonstrates that in Palestinian camps, the relationship between national identity and residential setting is weak and that the camps end up modelling a new, urban identity as opposed to a new national identity.