Strand med pir.

‘...there's absolutely no humanity. This is purely political’
How Spontaneous Volunteers disrupt the ‘management’ of life seekers.

Profile

Henrik Larsen, freelance researcher

Short bio

Henrik Larsen is an interdisciplinary researcher interested in crisis management, security, migration, policy and neoliberalism. From his work on spontaneous volunteerism and the management of forced migration, he was awarded a doctorate in International Relations. He is currently working on his book on spontaneous volunteerism, neoliberalism and the disruption of the management of forced migration.

Attendance

This is a hybrid seminar, you are welcome to connect via Zoom or join us at MIM seminar room, floor 9, Niagara. To attend on campus, please gather by the reception area at 13.05. If you have any questions, send an email to mim@malmo-university.com.

Join us on Zoom (meeting ID 697 4623 1618)

 

Abstract

In this seminar we will discuss the critical role of spontaneous volunteers (SV) within the context of management of life seekers, drawing from my book situated in critical development studies. They disrupt the management of life seekers which I can argue help improve and renew democracy. Illustrated through two case studies, the so-called Greek refugee crisis on Lesvos 2015 and those fleeing Ukraine after the Russian invasion in 2022, my research examines how neoliberal policies influence migration politics. Within neoliberalism all actors have to negotiate the part they play, no one can escape its logic.

I employ a multimethod approach— including auto-ethnography, interviews, focus groups and participatory observation to examine the role of SVs in humanitarian borderwork, and how they affect and are affected by the management of forced migration. In the book I argue that SVs expose state and international organisations' failures to prevent human rights violations, and they for this SVs often face marginalisation and criminalisation.

In the seminar, we will discuss the role of SVs in relation to state actors, international organisations and life seekers. We will discuss how humanitarian values are commodified in a neoliberal market, confirming a corruption of humanitarian principles. The discussion will illustrate how the actions of SVs disrupt the illiberal practices that lead to the othering and mistreatment of forced migrants, showcasing their essential role in challenging and potentially reshaping the current system. Together we will explore these insights and discuss their implications for the future of migration policy and volunteer involvement.

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