Externalisation through privatisation

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies

By bringing together scholars working across different multidisciplinary fields, this seminar offers a unique perspective on the privatisation of migration control

The multiple measures States employ to restrict the arrival of unwanted migrants and evade their protection obligations include complex relationships between public and private actors. Against a background characterised by the spread of privatisation logics and proliferation of public-private partnerships, this seminar seeks to advance our understanding of how, when, and why states privatise migration control, how we might conceptualise the role of private actors, the nature of their relationship with the state, and the degree of autonomy that they have in the enforcement of border controls.

This event will explore the privatisation of migration control through four different perspectives:

1. The effects of hidden coercion and imperfect delegation: Unpacking carrier sanctions
2. Inside governance: The role of private companies in shaping responses to migration in Europe
3. Actors and lobbyism in EU markets for border control
4. Privatisation and secrecy in Australia’s offshore processing facilities