Ungrateful: Migration as Crime, Crime as Resistance
Greek’s state strategy for the denigration of Albanian migrants, their experiences and our efforts for a common ground of resistanceCriminalisation of Albanian migrants was a crucial strategy of the Greek State in order to discipline them as a social group and devalue their labor force. A strategy that is directly connected with the capitalist growth during that period (end of 90’s – beginning of 00’s). Of course, this strategy would never have been effective if a major part of greek society didn’t go along, living the myth of Greece as a major stability force in the devastated Balkan area. From our initiative as a collective, started a discussion among Albanian migrants in an effort to make this experience (of criminalization) visible, public and to emphasize on its political aspects. By recognizing and making public their lived experience through the edition presented in the BAB, we aim to create a space where locals and migrants can struggle against state, capitalism and patriarchy as equals. For us, equality and anti-authority are not given facts but an objective embedded in our practices. We think that the story of criminalization is useful both as a politicization of the experience of Albanian migrants (ignored very often by the movement) and as a step to the creation of common spaces and equal relationships among migrants and locals.
Ungrateful: Migration as Crime, Crime as Resistance Greek’s state strategy for the denigration of Albanian migrants, their experiences and our efforts for a common ground of resistance
