A government-in-exile is a deposed or dispossessed government that relocates to another country and argues for its legitimacy from there. Such governments may be forced into exile by wartime occupation or as a result of political unrest, revolution, and military coups. They are formally recognized as governments-in-exile by States, and enjoy some privileges including the right to negotiate treaties and to have its members represented in inter-State fora, command its own forces, and jurisdiction and diplomatic immunities.
Political dissidents often go into exile as a form of resistance against an oppressive regime, but the broader implications of this phenomenon have deep historical roots in struggles for liberty throughout history. For example, Milton’s experiences with exile profoundly shaped his writings and his political ideology, enhancing the potency of his arguments against tyranny. Similarly, contemporary examples of exile have become potent symbols in freedom struggles worldwide.
The study of refugees and diaspora is a rapidly growing field that reflects a deep interest in questions of globalization, identity, memory, and place. Whether voluntary or forced, migrants and refugees challenge the anthropological understanding of community and culture as bounded and territorialized entities. They also reveal how power is distributed and negotiated across different spaces, cultures, and time. As such, they offer new perspectives to the study of human migrations and border crossings.