Aleš Bučar Ručman, Ph.D.
University of Maribor, Slovenia
Biography
Aleš Bučar Ručman, Ph.D.
Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security
University of Maribor, Slovenia
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Aleš Bučar Ručman, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of sociology and vice-dean for international cooperation at Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security, University of Maribor. His research interest includes sociology of deviance, with a focus on a broad connection between migration and crime, securitization of international migration, criminalisation of immigrants and refugees etc. He conducted research on the lives of Europeans in Japans and their perception/connection with crime; research on specific forms of human trafficking in Slovenia; social exclusion/inclusion of disabled (research about misuse of reserved parking spaces for disabled through perspective of social solidarity). He is the author/co-author of several monographs, research reports and many journal articles. His latest book, Migration and Crime: A perspective beyond stereotypes and prejudices (in Slovenian), was published by Publishing House of Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (2014).
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PREDAVANJE
Consequences of securitization and militarization of migration management in Europe: The case of Refugee Migration through Slovenia in 2015/2016
In the mid-September 2015 the first refugees and other migrants traveling through the so-called Balkan route to the northern parts of Europe arrived to Slovenia. Until then this was not considered to be “our problem”, though situation changed dramatically after October 2015 with the arrival of a greater numbers of people. This was the moment when author started his field research (participant observation, interviews/conversations) in temporary accommodation/registration centres and at the border crossings in Slovenia in autumn/winter 2015, which was later complemented by the analysis of political, media and civil society discourse. Author concludes that the general attitude and the perception of situation changed from the humanitarian and democratic to the threat to the security/safety of Slovenia. This coincides also with the use of restrictive and authoritarian measures. The control of situation was taken over by the police and military. The most symbolic demonstration of securitization and militarization of humanitarian migration was the placement of razor wire fence along the whole border with Croatia. Used measures and public discourse lead into moral panic in parts of society. In the final part of presentation author tries to present the situation through the perspective of different parties included in the situation: guards (police officers and soldiers), volunteers, media, the general (cyber) public, and of course, refugees.