Paper short abstract:

My situated filmic ethnographic research at the crossroads of mobilities in Greece is an attempt to practice a decolonial anthropology and searches for non-imperial geopolitical categories and imaginaries. Can perspectives beyond the dichotomous distinction between "self" and "other" be gained?

Paper long abstract:

My situated filmic ethnographic research at the crossroads of mobilities in Greece is an attempt to practice a decolonial anthropology of Europe following the research program "Decentering Europe”. Greece is considered both "center" and “periphery". The categorisation of mobile subjects is linked to this distinction between "self" and “other". I followed the established tourist itinerary to Greece with the intention of reflexively reversing the perspective on Europe. I conducted research at the former Hotel Xenia near Thermopylae and around the Statue of Liberty on Lesbos. At Thermopylae which tourists visit because it is said that Europe got defended against the “other”/ the “east”, the former Hotel Xenia became a temporary shelter for newcomers from Syria and Iraq. In Lesbos where newcomers are also facing the racist EU-borderregime a statue of Liberty became a place for bathing and socialising. Both research sites are located in proximity to a monument that spans a "we"-narrative in space and which is meant to serve the demarcation of Europe against the "other". I listened to the narratives of the people on the ground: What if those who are present are not meant? To what extent are the grand narratives about Europe crossed and challenged? What hopes and wishes are raised? Can perspectives beyond the dichotomous distinction between "self" and "other" be gained? And: What potential does artistic and filmic practice have as a method to bring forth non-imperial geopolitical categories and imaginaries?

Hotel Xenia:

https://vimeo.com/412500105

Password: 4PreviewHotel10enia

Extract:

https://vimeo.com/621736299

Password: 4HOTELXENIA