Stranded in an Urban Landscape

Abstract: This paper explores the nature of migration in Egypt from a Sub-altern realist perspective. As a criticism of traditional realist theories, Sub-altern realism argues that states in the Third World are defined by their weak state structure, which in turn changes their behavior both towards other states and on the domestic arena. This paper is based on findings from a Minor Field Study that I conducted in Egypt during the summer of 2012. With the help of interviews and empirical research, I have identified how the Egyptian government – as an example of the Sub-altern state – relates to the large number of refugees that exist in the country and how this relationship is affected by the weak structure of the state. The stance of the government is one of 'passive expulsion', where the state does not adopt any measures to integrate or alleviate the suffering of the refugees beyond the immediate necessities. Instead, it relies on the international community. I also examine how the stance of passive expulsion affects the aid community active in the country and how this stance creates problems in communication between the organizations and towards the refugees. In the summarizing chapter, I demonstrate that this stance is dictated by external and internal pressures on the Egyptian state. I conclude that, when studying a field such as migration, one must always include an analysis of the domestic situation in the affected countries.