“The Only Thing they have to Bargain with is their own Self”: masculinity and protesting immigration detention
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Published:
Nov 22, 2007
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Abstract
This paper explores questions around masculinity and immigration detention. It suggests that masculinity constitutes a dimension present in both the rationale for incarcerating unauthorised asylum seekers and in practices of resistance against their incarceration.
In modern Australia, the enclosed spaces of immigration detention are sites of bitter struggle. Brutality permeates the detention space and all detainees are vulnerable to its permutations, but men are the principal targets of the detention regime and are typically the primary instigators of mass demonstrations.
Group protests are a response to the constraining system of incarceration and seek particular resolution. In this masculine space a form of male resistance has publicised the devastation of detention.
In modern Australia, the enclosed spaces of immigration detention are sites of bitter struggle. Brutality permeates the detention space and all detainees are vulnerable to its permutations, but men are the principal targets of the detention regime and are typically the primary instigators of mass demonstrations.
Group protests are a response to the constraining system of incarceration and seek particular resolution. In this masculine space a form of male resistance has publicised the devastation of detention.
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References
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Agamben, G (1999) Remnants of Auschwitz: The Witness and the Archive, trans. D.H. Roazen, New York, Zone Books.
Agamben, G (2005) State of Exception, trans. K. Attell, Chicago, University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.1215/9780822386735-013
Browning, J (2005) "If this is a Man? Men and Mandatory Detention", All in the Mind radio program, 8 October, Sydney, ABC Radio National.
Connell, R.W (1987) Gender and Power: Society, the Person and Sexual Politics, Sydney, Allen & Unwin.
Connell, R. W (2005), Masculinities, 2nd edn, Crows Nest, Allen and Unwin.
Cox, E & Priest, T (2005) Women in Detention: More questions than answers, Sydney, University of Technology.
Crock, M ed. (1993) Protection or Punishment? The Detention of Asylum Seekers in Australia, Leichhardt, Federation Press.
Crock, M & Saul, B (2002) Future Seekers: Refugees and the Law in Australia, Annandale Federation Press.
Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2003) Managing Migration, 2nd edn, Canberra, DIMA.
Foucault, M (1977) Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. A. Sheridan, Middlesex, New York Peregrine.
Foucault, M (1978) The History of Sexuality, An Introduction, Volume 1, trans. A. Sheridan, New York, Vintage.
Foucault, M (2003) Society Must Be Defended: Lectures at the Collège de France 1975-1976, M. Bertani & A. Fontana, (eds) trans. D. Macey , London, Penguin.
Gatens, M (1991) Feminism and Philosophy: Perspectives on Difference and Equality, Cambridge, Polity Press.
HREOC (1998) Those who've come across the seas: Detention of unauthorised arrivals, Canberra, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
HREOC (2001) Report on Visits to immigration Detention Facilities by the Human Rights Commissioners, Sydney, HREOC.
HREOC (2004) A last resort? National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention, Sydney, HREOC.
Mares, P (2001) Borderline: Australia's Treatment of Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Sydney, University of New South Wales Press.
Milne, F (2004) Case Studies of Deportation from Australia, viewed 6 November 2005, http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/legcon_ctte/migration/submissions/sub174att_5.pdf
Minister for Immigration, (2001) Media Release, Approval Rate for Boat Asylum Seekers falls, MPS, 112/2001, viewed 30 May 2003, http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media_releases/ruddock_media01/r01112.htm
Palmer, M (2005) Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Immigration Detention of Cornelia Rau, viewed 12 November 2005, http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media_releases/media05/palmer-report.pdf
Poynting, S, Noble, G & Tabar, P (1998) "'If anybody calls me a wog, they wouldn't be speaking to me alone': Protest Masculinity and Lebanese Youth in Western Sydney", Journal of Interdisciplinary Gender Studies, 3(2): 76-94.
Silove, D & Steel, Z (1998,) The Mental Health and Well-Being of On-Shore Asylum Seekers in Australia, Sydney, Psychiatry Research & Teaching Unit, University of New South Wales.
Silove, D (1999) "The Psychosocial Effects of Torture, Mass Human Rights Violations and Refugee Trauma: Towards an Integrated Conceptual Framework", Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 187(4): 200-207. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005053-199904000-00002
Steel, Z, Momartin, S, Bateman, C, Hafshejani, A, Silove, D, Everson, N, Roy, K, Dudley, M, Newman, L, Blick, B & Mares, S (2004) "Psychiatric status of asylum seeker families held for a protracted period in a remote detention centre in Australia", Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 28(6): 527-36. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2004.tb00042.x
Sultan, A & O'Sullivan, K (2001) "Psychological disturbances in asylum seekers held in long term detention: a participant-observer account", Medical Journal of Australia, no.175: 593-96.
Toch, H (1998) "Hypermasculinity and Prison Violence" in L Bowker (ed.) Masculinities and Violence, London, Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483328010.n9
Van Deburg, W (1997) Modern Black Nationalism: From Marcus Garvey to Louis Farrakhan, New York, NYU Press.
Agamben, G (1999) Remnants of Auschwitz: The Witness and the Archive, trans. D.H. Roazen, New York, Zone Books.
Agamben, G (2005) State of Exception, trans. K. Attell, Chicago, University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.1215/9780822386735-013
Browning, J (2005) "If this is a Man? Men and Mandatory Detention", All in the Mind radio program, 8 October, Sydney, ABC Radio National.
Connell, R.W (1987) Gender and Power: Society, the Person and Sexual Politics, Sydney, Allen & Unwin.
Connell, R. W (2005), Masculinities, 2nd edn, Crows Nest, Allen and Unwin.
Cox, E & Priest, T (2005) Women in Detention: More questions than answers, Sydney, University of Technology.
Crock, M ed. (1993) Protection or Punishment? The Detention of Asylum Seekers in Australia, Leichhardt, Federation Press.
Crock, M & Saul, B (2002) Future Seekers: Refugees and the Law in Australia, Annandale Federation Press.
Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2003) Managing Migration, 2nd edn, Canberra, DIMA.
Foucault, M (1977) Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, trans. A. Sheridan, Middlesex, New York Peregrine.
Foucault, M (1978) The History of Sexuality, An Introduction, Volume 1, trans. A. Sheridan, New York, Vintage.
Foucault, M (2003) Society Must Be Defended: Lectures at the Collège de France 1975-1976, M. Bertani & A. Fontana, (eds) trans. D. Macey , London, Penguin.
Gatens, M (1991) Feminism and Philosophy: Perspectives on Difference and Equality, Cambridge, Polity Press.
HREOC (1998) Those who've come across the seas: Detention of unauthorised arrivals, Canberra, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
HREOC (2001) Report on Visits to immigration Detention Facilities by the Human Rights Commissioners, Sydney, HREOC.
HREOC (2004) A last resort? National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention, Sydney, HREOC.
Mares, P (2001) Borderline: Australia's Treatment of Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Sydney, University of New South Wales Press.
Milne, F (2004) Case Studies of Deportation from Australia, viewed 6 November 2005, http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/legcon_ctte/migration/submissions/sub174att_5.pdf
Minister for Immigration, (2001) Media Release, Approval Rate for Boat Asylum Seekers falls, MPS, 112/2001, viewed 30 May 2003, http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media_releases/ruddock_media01/r01112.htm
Palmer, M (2005) Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Immigration Detention of Cornelia Rau, viewed 12 November 2005, http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media_releases/media05/palmer-report.pdf
Poynting, S, Noble, G & Tabar, P (1998) "'If anybody calls me a wog, they wouldn't be speaking to me alone': Protest Masculinity and Lebanese Youth in Western Sydney", Journal of Interdisciplinary Gender Studies, 3(2): 76-94.
Silove, D & Steel, Z (1998,) The Mental Health and Well-Being of On-Shore Asylum Seekers in Australia, Sydney, Psychiatry Research & Teaching Unit, University of New South Wales.
Silove, D (1999) "The Psychosocial Effects of Torture, Mass Human Rights Violations and Refugee Trauma: Towards an Integrated Conceptual Framework", Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 187(4): 200-207. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005053-199904000-00002
Steel, Z, Momartin, S, Bateman, C, Hafshejani, A, Silove, D, Everson, N, Roy, K, Dudley, M, Newman, L, Blick, B & Mares, S (2004) "Psychiatric status of asylum seeker families held for a protracted period in a remote detention centre in Australia", Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 28(6): 527-36. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2004.tb00042.x
Sultan, A & O'Sullivan, K (2001) "Psychological disturbances in asylum seekers held in long term detention: a participant-observer account", Medical Journal of Australia, no.175: 593-96.
Toch, H (1998) "Hypermasculinity and Prison Violence" in L Bowker (ed.) Masculinities and Violence, London, Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483328010.n9
Van Deburg, W (1997) Modern Black Nationalism: From Marcus Garvey to Louis Farrakhan, New York, NYU Press.