Title: Marginality and the 'state of exception' in camps in Tamil Nadu

Authors: Nasreen Chowdhory

Addresses: Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, Social Science Building, Second Floor, Room 8, Delhi 110007, India

Abstract: The paper explores the dynamics of the 'state of exception' in refugee camps in Tamil Nadu, India. Drawing on field work during 2013-14, in different districts of Tamil Nadu, i.e., Madurai, Thoothukudi, Villipuram, Coimbatore, Tirunevelli, Perrumballur, Dharmapuri, Thirupur, Krishnagiri and Sivagangai, the paper analyses the refugee households to address the question of marginality while contesting the state of exceptionality in camps. Further, it interrogates the state of exception in everyday lives of refugees. The paper asserts that the institutional policies of the government to provide assistance to refugees, and social welfare schemes, inadvertently have had a positive impact on female refugees in the camps. The data suggest that women refugees have shown curious adaptability and resilience vis-à-vis policies of state to address their needs.

Keywords: camp refugees; refugee rights; spatiality; home; Tamil Nadu; marginality; state of exception; refugee camps; India; institutional policies; social welfare; female refugees; women refugees; adaptability; resilience; gender.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMBS.2016.075582

International Journal of Migration and Border Studies, 2016 Vol.2 No.2, pp.132 - 148

Received: 04 Mar 2015
Accepted: 21 Sep 2015
Published online: 28 Mar 2016 *

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