Post-Liberation Politics and Political Space in Eritrea: Interrogating Aspirations among Educated Youth

Abstract

This article discusses post-liberation politics in Eritrea through the lens of political space, making use of empirical data collected between 1996 and 2006 among youth in higher education. Political space is defined as a relational space whose boundaries are being created in constant balancing acts between enforced citizenship obligations and personal aspirations. This definition allows for an analysis of the contradiction between national development objectives and personal aspirations in the lives of research-protagonists, and through this provides important insights into the nature of the Eritrean state. Main findings demonstrate how closures of political space ultimately undermine important state objectives.

Transnational Lived Citizenship – The Case of the Eritrean Diaspora

“…Often, in particular if diasporas relate back to authoritarian states of origin and are exposed to extra-territorial practices of such states, this leaves them with complex dilemmas. The state of origin to which they may have multiple attachments might regard them as traitors, whereas their aspirations may be to demonstrate their patriotism or their loyalty (Glasius, 2018; Müller, 2018a).…”

“…Often, in particular if diasporas relate back to authoritarian states of origin and are exposed to extra-territorial practices of such states, this leaves them with complex dilemmas. The state of origin to which they may have multiple attachments might regard them as traitors, whereas their aspirations may be to demonstrate their patriotism or their loyalty (Glasius, 2018;Müller, 2018a). Glasius (2018: 180) argues that citizenship is in fact not the appropriate lens to understand authoritarian emigrant or diasporic states, as such states exercise control over populations abroad as "subjects to be repressed and extorted."…”

Unhappy Performatives of Statehood: Staging Incompatible Narratives of Eritrea through Academic Conferences

“…At the time of the 2001 conference, I was ending a year based at the UoA, and many of my former students who were at that conference have since gone into exile and are now part of the diaspora. Only a few chose to remain or return from study abroad (Müller 2018b). Thinking back to the 2001 conference, I wondered if free debate would be possible at the 2016 conference in Asmara.…”

“…That the 2016 Asmara conference took place at all is a clear sign of progress. (The paper was published by the Journal of Development Studies [Müller 2018b]).…”