Displacement as Violence
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Heidi Altman
Location
Russell Union Ballroom
Type of Research
Proposed
Session Format
Poster Presentation
College
College of Behavioral & Social Sciences
Department
Anthropology
Abstract
Displacement is not simply the physical movement of people from one place to another, but it is also a complex form of violence shaped by political, economic, and social forces. It extends beyond geographic, physical location to include people being displaced from their homes, work, rights, communities, and even their sense of ownership over their own bodies. Displacement can be produced through war, state policies, economic restructuring, and systems of exclusion that privilege some populations while marginalizing others, and it operates through structural violence, global inequality, social exclusion, citizenship hierarchies, and embodied suffering. At the same time, individuals and communities also develop strategies of survival, solidarity, and resistance within these oppressive systems. By examining eight ethnographic literature and case studies, displacement can be recognized as both a structural condition and a lived-in experience. This highlights the interconnected forces that produce a sense of insecurity while also recognizing the resilience and collective power of the individuals and communities that are affected. Ultimately, understanding displacement in this broader sense reveals how deeply it shaped identities, social relations, and possibilities for justice in today's world.
Program Description
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Start Date
4-23-2026 2:00 PM
End Date
4-23-2026 4:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Cleveland, Gracie M., "Displacement as Violence" (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 214.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026/2026/214
Displacement as Violence
Russell Union Ballroom
Displacement is not simply the physical movement of people from one place to another, but it is also a complex form of violence shaped by political, economic, and social forces. It extends beyond geographic, physical location to include people being displaced from their homes, work, rights, communities, and even their sense of ownership over their own bodies. Displacement can be produced through war, state policies, economic restructuring, and systems of exclusion that privilege some populations while marginalizing others, and it operates through structural violence, global inequality, social exclusion, citizenship hierarchies, and embodied suffering. At the same time, individuals and communities also develop strategies of survival, solidarity, and resistance within these oppressive systems. By examining eight ethnographic literature and case studies, displacement can be recognized as both a structural condition and a lived-in experience. This highlights the interconnected forces that produce a sense of insecurity while also recognizing the resilience and collective power of the individuals and communities that are affected. Ultimately, understanding displacement in this broader sense reveals how deeply it shaped identities, social relations, and possibilities for justice in today's world.
