From Migrants to Refugees

“Jill Rosenthal’s detailed history of border making and border crossing reveals both the identification of people with place and its blurring by extensive movement across space. From Migrants to Refugees is a compelling and important contribution to our understanding not only of the cross-border consequences of the Rwandan quagmire but also of the relationship in an unequal world between international organizations, African people, and an African state.” - Frederick Cooper, author of Africa since 1940: The Past of the Present

“In this conceptually adventurous, empirically rich, and engagingly written book, Jill Rosenthal brings a new perspective to histories of Tanzanian nationalism and to the comparative study of nationalism in postcolonial Africa. At the same time, she contributes to histories of decolonization, sovereignty, and state making by showing how these questions were worked through in a border region. From Migrants to Refugees moves the field in exciting and innovative ways.” - Emma Hunter, author of Political Thought and the Public Sphere in Tanzania: Freedom, Democracy, and Citizenship in the Era of Decolonization

"The strength of Rosenthal’s book is that it places the Ngara refugee relief operations of 1994–1996 in Tanzania firmly into a broader history of Tanzanian identity and nationalism. Rosenthal’s point of course is that African migration is normal—and the 'refugee' part is the innovation of an international system that spreading western-style culture, power, economics, and humanitarianism." - Tony Waters, International Journal of African Historical Studies

"From Migrants to Refugees is a very important introduction to research on refugees in Africa for several reasons. It is well organized and well written, able to be used in undergraduate as well as graduate courses on refugees in history. . . . [T]his study effectively captures the complexities of border communities that should serve to inspire research around the continent." - Jeremy Rich, African Studies Quarterly

"This book will appeal to scholars and policymakers working on (forced) migration, citizenship, transborder identities and humanitarian aid. Rosenthal's photo on its book cover captures its important aspects of borders and identity politics, making it interesting and deserving of considerable attention." - Deo Mwapinga, International Migration

"Rosenthal shows how national identities are made in distinction to others, as well as through competition over resources and comparisons about relative morality. It should come to be a key reference in the history of African refugees, as well as complement a vibrant literature on identity and citizenship in postcolonial Africa." - Kevin Donovan, Journal of African History

"From Migrants to Refugees demonstrates Rosenthal’s immense expertise on the region and the history of refugee aid. . . . A must read for scholars and students in sociology, history, political science, and African studies alike." - Anneliese Schenk-Day, International Journal of Comparative Sociology