The ambiguous (non)protection policies; The role of securitisation and (de)humanisation in shaping EU refugee policies
Keywords
Loading...
Authors
Issue Date
2024-08-27
Language
en
Document type
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Title
ISSN
Volume
Issue
Startpage
Endpage
DOI
Abstract
This thesis centres around the primary research question: How do securitisation and (de)humanisation shape the EC’s (non)protection policies of refugees from Syria and Ukraine? It investigates the influence of securitisation and humanisation on the European Commission’s (EC) policies towards Syrian and Ukrainian refugees, employing Multiple Streams Theory (MST) and Comparative Policy Analysis (CPA). The research examines how these narratives shape the Commission’s protection policies, focusing on the contexts of the Syrian civil war and the recent conflict in Ukraine.
The Syrian refugee influx of 2015, and the Ukrainian refugee flow following the 2022 conflict, serve as case studies to analyse the EU’s asylum policies. This study addresses a gap in existing literature by integrating security and humanitarian perspectives to offer a comprehensive understanding of EC’s policy-making process and outcomes. The thesis hypothesises that more securitised and less humanised refugee groups within the EU are likely to receive negative protection, while less securitised and more humanised groups receive positive protection.
Through MST, the research elucidates how issues ascend the policy agenda and how certain proposals gain traction. In combination to that, CPA provides a comparative analysis of policy outcomes, highlighting disparities in the protection offered to Syrian and Ukrainian refugees. This led to the conclusion that, for the two specific cases examined, both hypotheses could not be refuted. The findings advocate for a balanced approach that integrates security concerns with a strong commitment to human rights, ensuring comprehensive positive protection and integration for refugees.
Description
Citation
Supervisor
Faculty
Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen