Paper short abstract:

This paper deals with the production of “data” and “evidence” in the struggle against forced marriages in Switzerland. It discusses the challenges of producing anthropological and scientific knowledge in the context of conflicting institutional, legal and political agendas.

Paper long abstract:

Switzerland has recently known a succession of legislative changes, with the common aim of involving civil servants in the struggle against unwanted migration. In this context, narratives about a range of marriages seen as "untrue" have arisen. Among them, the issues about forced marriages have met a wide public, media and political audience as it links together popular topics such as human rights, gender equality, protection of "national values", migration and socio-cultural diversity. But, as noticed by various local authorities, such debates lack of "evidence" and "empirical data", which was considered as problematic for the implementation of efficient politics against forced marriages. As anthropologist working on marriage and institutions, I was given a research mandate to provide local anchored knowledge about the "reality" of forced marriages in the Canton de Vaud. During several meetings, the cantonal task group and I discussed the empirical data collected through in-deep, comprehensive interviews, how it "provides" (or not) evidence for forced marriages, and what forced marriages were. This paper discusses what was at stake in this particular production of "data", its analysis and the conflicting interests surrounding the writing of the final report. It highlights the challenges of producing anthropological and scientific knowledge in the context of institutional, legal and political agendas.