Vol. 5. „Studia Historica Gedanensia”: “From Exsilium to Exile. Forced Migrations in Historical Perspective” will be dedicated to forced migration over centuries. We would like to invite the authors who discuss the issues connected with the fate of refugees in their research. We are particularly interested in papers regarding the fate of refugees, who were coerced to abandon their native land – frequently in order to save their lives – and who were subsequently involved in activity (political, cultural or economic) connected with their motherland. Forced emigration is understood both in its primary meaning – exsilium – as an administrative, juridical order to leave the country, and in its contemporary understanding – exile – mainly resulting from an meta-economic situational imperative, when the refugee is virtually deprived of the opportunity of making free choices. Within the scope of the volume’s editing team’s interest lies research that problematizes migration as an effect of antagonisms and political, religious, racial or ideological persecutions as well as processes aiming at generating national identity, discrimination, changes to borders or finally, serving the purpose of escaping from war-stricken areas and (impending) repressive measures. Representation of the condition of exiles, the banished, emigrants and refugees starting from the oldest times onwards to the current situation, in different geographic areas, will provoke reflection pertaining to endeavors of the authorities, groups in power or dominant within the frames of a particular community aimed at exclusion from their ranks those deemed dangerous, unassimilated, subversive, undesirable, “alien”. Contributions on various historical periods will let us point to the permanent as well as changing causes of forced migration, the nature of the relationship that exiles establish with their country as well as conditions for returning to the native area. As Paul Tabori emphasizes ((The Anatomy of Exile) coerced migration took place much earlier than nation-making processes. Appearing as early as in the historical accounts of Ancient Egypt and the Middle East forced migration occurred in a variety of forms, manifold cultures, on all continents, in all historical periods – naturally with a different degree of intensity. Its exponential growth was brought about in the 20th century.
Throughout human history the instances of forced abandonment of the “local (native) community” by individuals or groups caused repercussions in the intertribal, trans-national and inter-national relations. Therefore, the attempt at comparing the influence that the individuals or groups excluded from the life of the state exert on the mutual relations between the country of origin and the country of settlement will be of significant value. Simultaneously, the suggested volume will provide a meaningful reflection pertaining to the significance of forced migration in the inter-regional and transnational relations.
Furthermore, an analysis of the consequences of the exclusion of certain social groups from political, economic and cultural life of a given country or region combined with a characteristic of the dramatic fate of many of the excluded can function as a springboard for a debate referring to contemporary forced migration (both internal and external), as well as immigration policy of the countries that provide asylum for refugees. Indubitably it is worth devoting attention to the issue that has accompanied humankind starting from primitive tribal organizations and today perpetuates as a vital humanitarian, political, social, economic and cultural problem identified globally.
SUGGESTED RESEARCH AREAS
• Reasons for fleeing cities, regions, countries – comparison of the situation of reactive individuals and groups who, as a result of direct or situational imperative were actually deprived of the possibility of making independent decisions concerning leaving the inhabited area (persecutions, military conflicts, administration decisions, the economic situation, the condition of the natural environment).
• Social, political, economic, diplomatic, cultural and civilization consequences of coerced migration – selected examples over centuries in different world regions.
• Violence and fear in forced migration – sources, consequences.
• Circumstances of departure – flight, organizing transfers or contingents of refugee groups, forms of administration in coerced migration (deportation, exile, displacement etc.), institutional and informal aid for escapees.
• Between choice and coercion – factors that determine the place of settlement, patterns of further mobility (changing the place of settlement, returning to the motherland).
• Assimilation problems among forced immigrants.
Provisionality – the temporality in the everyday existence of refugees. Forms of contacts with the native land. Relations with the authorities in the country of settlement, local community as well as emigrant compatriot groups (e.g. for economic reasons, whose migration and settlement outside the country of origin was voluntary).
• Economic significance of forced migration for the countries/regions which displace a population as well as countries/regions of settlement (e.g. claims to return confiscated property, sending financial aid, lobbying for economic support etc.)
• Religious persecutions and coerced migration (areas/regions/countries providing refuge to the persecuted groups/individuals).
• Migration and slavery – consequences of coerced outflow of a part of a population for country’s civilization development; influx of foreign ethnic groups to the country of settlement,
• Refugees’ attitudes to the native land – the instances when the authorities’ legitimacy is undermined, active opposition is formed, activity for preserving historical memory, other indications of political, cultural or social activity in exile.
• Consequences of “exiles’” activity in inter-regional and transnational relations (inter-tribal, inter-national and trans-national)
• Refugees (groups or individuals) – as a tool in the politics of country of settlement (domestic and foreign policies). Refugees as an instrument of propaganda.
• Coerced migration as a form of solving problems, relieving tensions, finishing conflicts and alternatives to migration. International community and the issue of forced migration. Forms of international cooperation for counteracting forced migration.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS (of articles, edited primary sources, reviews) until July 15 2012. By mail:
e-mail: StudiaHistoricaGedanensia5@gmail.com , or ul. Wita Stwosza 55, 80-952 Gdañsk
Paper proposals should include: title, abstract (max. 1000 words), bio (max. 300 words).
The authors will receive confirmation should their paper proposals be accepted by early August.
Completed papers should be submitted to the editor by the end of 2012.
Academic editor of the volume: dr. Anna Mazurkiewicz Editorial team of the volume: prof. Mieczys³aw Nurek, prof. UG Adam Kosid³o, dr. Przemys³aw Ró¿añski
“Studia Historica Gedanensia”- year (2010-), Institute of History, University of Gdansk Department of History
Editorial committee: prof. Tadeusz Stegner – editor-in-chief, prof. UG Grzegorz Berendt, prof. UG Beata Mo¿ejko.
Dr Anna Mazurkiewicz
History Institute
University of Gdansk, Poland
Email: studiahistoricagedanensia5@gmail.com
Genocide Research Group 