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

Abstract

Two conferences held on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Eritrean independence operate as Austinian “unhappy performatives.” Using a performance studies lens offers new ways of understanding the dynamics of scholarship about international politics, thereby contributing to wider debates on how performances of truths often replace truth.

Transnational Lived Citizenship – The Case of the Eritrean Diaspora

“…The diaspora is historically characterised by high levels of homeland political engagement (Clapham, 2017; Dahre, 2007) even if the contemporary political scene presents a wide spectrum of political behaviours ranging from patriotism to opposition, from avoidance to indifference (Belloni, 2018; Hirt and Mohammad, 2018; Treiber, 2019). Different generations of the diaspora have been instrumental in nation-state building as well as in contemporary regime survival and regime resistance (Hirt, 2015; Iyob, 2000; Müller, 2020). These include the generation who left during the Eritrean war for national liberation, many of whom became key supporters of the liberation struggle, also referred to as “generation nationalism,” or key figures in opposition movements (Hepner, 2009a; Hepner, 2009b).…”

“…The concept of lived citizenship is a useful framing to shed light on the different ways in which diaspora populations exercise belonging (Alinia and Eliassi, 2014; Kleist, 2013; Müller, 2020; Yuval-Davis, 2006). For many refugees and migrants, some form of displacement of belonging has occurred once they left, or were forced to leave, the communities where their previous lives unfolded.…”

“…Also in this material field, contestation and resistance is being created – for example, in illicit building activities that may be torn down again (or not). The three articles in this Special Focus first and foremost demonstrate that the performances of lived citizenship of many members of the Eritrean diaspora, as well as the demands posed by the Eritrean government as a prerequisite of citizenship, are ultimate “unhappy performatives” (Müller, 2020): they neither fulfil the aspirations to demonstrate belonging to the Eritrea nation (state) in the way aspired to by many diaspora citizens, nor do they create the loyalty demanded and required by organs of the Eritrean state.…”