Contribution short abstract:

This paper examines the intersection of migration and exclusion via ethnographic research with West African migrants in Germany. It addresses the struggles of migrants in legal limbo, ethical challenges in doing fieldwork and the role of anthropology in challenging exclusionary migration narratives.

Contribution long abstract:

This paper investigates the intersections of migration, exclusion, and oppression through a dark anthropology lens, based on ten months of ethnographic fieldwork in 2024 with ten West African migrants in Germany. It examines the lived experiences of migrants navigating precarious spaces between legality, toleration status, and survival while officially obliged to leave the country. The research highlights the ethical and methodological challenges of studying marginalized individuals subject to securitization, deportation, and social exclusion. Particular attention is given to the power asymmetry between the researcher, employed by a governmental research institute, and the migrant participants. As well as the researchers positionality and negotiations with the employer regarding the availability of ethnographic material.

These dynamics critically shape the fieldwork process and the data produced, underscoring the need for ethical rigor to safeguard participants’ dignity and agency. The paper also reflects on how migrants with uncertain residence status are instrumentalized in Western societies, with a special focus on Germany, to uphold exclusionary policies. It explores the risks of academic work unintentionally reinforcing narratives of threat and illegality when discussing migration.

By addressing these tensions, the paper offers strategies for conducting anthropology that both interrogates dominant narratives and prioritizes the autonomy of those at the margins. This contribution advances discussions on ethical research practices and the discipline’s role in critically engaging with power, migration, and resistance.