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A Spatial Theory of the Camp
Geopolitics, Biopolitics and the Immunitarian State
9781800887688 Edward Elgar Publishing
This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 License. It is free to read, download and share on Elgaronline.com.
From concentration camps to refugee settlements, there is little consensus about what exactly defines ‘the camp’. This timely and comprehensive book adopts a geographical perspective to develop a spatial theory of the camp, advancing the interdisciplinary field of camp studies. Richard Carter-White and Claudio Minca explore the spatial logics and practices that unite different camps, demonstrating why the camp has become such an integral tool of contemporary governance and what this reveals about the geopolitics and biopolitics of the modern nation-state.
From concentration camps to refugee settlements, there is little consensus about what exactly defines ‘the camp’. This timely and comprehensive book adopts a geographical perspective to develop a spatial theory of the camp, advancing the interdisciplinary field of camp studies. Richard Carter-White and Claudio Minca explore the spatial logics and practices that unite different camps, demonstrating why the camp has become such an integral tool of contemporary governance and what this reveals about the geopolitics and biopolitics of the modern nation-state.
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From concentration camps to refugee settlements, there is little consensus about what exactly defines ‘the camp’. This timely and comprehensive book adopts a geographical perspective to develop a spatial theory of the camp, advancing the interdisciplinary field of camp studies. Richard Carter-White and Claudio Minca explore the spatial logics and practices that unite different camps, demonstrating why the camp has become such an integral tool of contemporary governance and what this reveals about the geopolitics and biopolitics of the modern nation-state.
Through a thorough parallel analysis of historical concentration camps and contemporary refugee camps, this book conceptualizes ‘the camp’ as an institution through which selected groups and individuals are included in society through a set of exclusionary practices. Providing an innovative and multifaceted geographical analysis of camp contexts, chapters focus on the examples of Auschwitz concentration camp and refugee camps along the Balkan Route. Throughout the analysis, the book draws upon Roberto Esposito’s political philosophy to theorize that camps are an attempt at ‘immunizing’ the nation-state from its inherent state of crisis.
A Spatial Theory of the Camp will be an indispensable reference for those interested in camp studies. It will also be beneficial to students and academics of human geography, political philosophy, Holocaust studies, and refugee and migration studies.
From concentration camps to refugee settlements, there is little consensus about what exactly defines ‘the camp’. This timely and comprehensive book adopts a geographical perspective to develop a spatial theory of the camp, advancing the interdisciplinary field of camp studies. Richard Carter-White and Claudio Minca explore the spatial logics and practices that unite different camps, demonstrating why the camp has become such an integral tool of contemporary governance and what this reveals about the geopolitics and biopolitics of the modern nation-state.
Through a thorough parallel analysis of historical concentration camps and contemporary refugee camps, this book conceptualizes ‘the camp’ as an institution through which selected groups and individuals are included in society through a set of exclusionary practices. Providing an innovative and multifaceted geographical analysis of camp contexts, chapters focus on the examples of Auschwitz concentration camp and refugee camps along the Balkan Route. Throughout the analysis, the book draws upon Roberto Esposito’s political philosophy to theorize that camps are an attempt at ‘immunizing’ the nation-state from its inherent state of crisis.
A Spatial Theory of the Camp will be an indispensable reference for those interested in camp studies. It will also be beneficial to students and academics of human geography, political philosophy, Holocaust studies, and refugee and migration studies.
Critical Acclaim
‘Historically nuanced and conceptually sophisticated, A Spatial Theory of the Camp offers a superlative account of where camps come from and what camps do. The authors introduce a new vocabulary that rewrites the terms of existing debates about camps in contemporary political life. This book will appeal if you seek a deeper understanding of the persistent relationship between camps and the modern nation-state – and what is at stake in imagining a world without camps.’
– Nick Vaughan-Williams, University of Birmingham, UK
‘This book offers an innovative and deeply analytical exploration of the conceptual and methodological frameworks surrounding institutional camps. It masterfully engages with philosophical concepts and spatial theories, providing a nuanced understanding of the complexities of camp contexts. A must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of geography, politics, and social theory.’
– Jouni Häkli, Tampere University, Finland
‘Theoretically nuanced and empirically ambitious, A Spatial Theory of the Camp is set to become an essential text for scholars of contemporary sovereignty. Drawing on detailed empirical work gathered on the Balkan refugee route, Carter-White and Minca advance how we understand the role of the camp, addressing the distinction between concentration camps and refugee camps, to focus on shared practices and logics.’
– Alex Jeffrey, University of Cambridge, UK
– Nick Vaughan-Williams, University of Birmingham, UK
‘This book offers an innovative and deeply analytical exploration of the conceptual and methodological frameworks surrounding institutional camps. It masterfully engages with philosophical concepts and spatial theories, providing a nuanced understanding of the complexities of camp contexts. A must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of geography, politics, and social theory.’
– Jouni Häkli, Tampere University, Finland
‘Theoretically nuanced and empirically ambitious, A Spatial Theory of the Camp is set to become an essential text for scholars of contemporary sovereignty. Drawing on detailed empirical work gathered on the Balkan refugee route, Carter-White and Minca advance how we understand the role of the camp, addressing the distinction between concentration camps and refugee camps, to focus on shared practices and logics.’
– Alex Jeffrey, University of Cambridge, UK
