Abstract
The paper discusses pushback operations in Greece as a generalized anti-immigration policy that involves practices constituting racist state crime. Beginning from a description of the illegal operations on the Greek/Turkish borders, this paper examines the constant denial tactics of the government and the response of national, regional and international organizations and institutions. It is shown that pushbacks have become a standardized frontline tool of border management. This phenomenon is approached from a criminological viewpoint in terms of racist state crime and as a racist biopolitical technology of power for the government of the migrant populations, and for the defence of society and national identity. Showing that pushbacks are a becoming a central border policy in Europe, the paper concludes with a discussion of the need for both legal and non-legal counter-strategies.
Highlights
This paper analyses the phenomenon of pushbacks in Greece and discusses the expanding illegal border practices in terms of racist state crime and as a racist biopolitical technology
The discussion continues with an examination of extant approaches towards the conceptualization of these practices as racist state crime, and as a racist biopolitical tool for the management of refugees/ migrants as a problem calling for society to be defended
The judgment was overturned by a Grand Chamber decision, a development that was described as a “shock” (Pichl and Schmalz 2020)
Summary
This paper analyses the phenomenon of pushbacks (and in broader legal terms illegal refoulements) in Greece and discusses the expanding illegal border practices in terms of racist state crime and as a racist biopolitical technology.
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