“Come and see what we do”: Contemporary Migrant Performances in Athens, Greece

Abstract

As Greece currently experiences severe economic, political, and social crises, this essay examines the uncritical understanding of Greek sovereignty by studying the cultural productions of undocumented transnational migrants working and living in the country. Through an analysis of three works by the performance group ELANADISTIKANOUME (Come and see what we do), the essay argues that minoritarian figures denied citizenship and an official Greek identity are pivotal contributors to activism and culture. Against the backdrop of rising nationalism and alongside the social movements of the last few years, it critiques the separation of citizens and noncitizens within representations of class struggle. The essay seeks to draw attention to a negotiation with and refusal of the nation-state and its discourse enacted through fugitive performances that grapple with the politics and aesthetics of border struggles, illegality, and political presence.