The Securitization of Migration and Refugee Women Routledge Studies in Criminal Justice, Borders and Citizenship Series

Humanised accounts of restrictions on mobility are rarely the focus of debates on irregular migration. Very little is heard from refugees themselves about why they migrate, their experiences whilst entering the EU or how they navigate reception conditions upon arrival, particularly from a gendered perspective. The Securitization of Migration and Refugee Women fills this gap and explores the journey made by refugee women who have travelled from Somalia to the EU to seek asylum. This book reveals the humanised impact of the securitization of migration, the dominant policy response to irregular migration pursued by governments across the Globe.

The Southern EU Member State of Malta finds itself on the frontline of policing and securing Europe?s southern external borders against transnational migrants and preventing migrants? on-migration to other Member States within the EU. The securitization of migration has been responsible for restricting access to asylum, diluting rights and entitlements to refugee protection, and punishing those who arrive in the EU without valid passports ?a visibly racialised and gendered population. The stories of the refugee women interviewed for this research detail the ways in which refugee protection is being eroded, selectively applied and in some cases specifically designed to exclude.

In contrast to the majority of migration literature, which has largely focused on the male experience, this book focuses on the experiences of refugee women and aims to contribute to the volume of work dedicated to analysing borders from the perspective of those who cross them. This research strengthens existing criminological literature and has the potential to offer insights to policy makers around the world. It will be of interest to academics and students interested in International Crime and Justice, Securitisation, Refugee Law and Border Control, as well as the general reader.

Chapter 1. Introduction: Irregular migration, women and Malta Chapter 2. The securitization of migration: deterring, punishing, and reducing the aggregate risk of global mobility Chapter 3. Regimes in conflict: refugee protection and the securitization of migration – a gendered analysis Chapter 4. Violent and circuitous pathways: women’s experiences in exiting Somalia Chapter 5. From Somalia to Malta: violence and survival in transit Chapter 6. Punishment for ‘crimes of arrival’: women’s experiences of Malta Chapter 7. When will the journey end? Cycles of containment and control in selecting individuals for onward migration Chapter 8. Regimes in conflict: the impact of the securitization of migration on refugee women – a humanized account.

Dr Alison Gerard is a lawyer and Senior Lecturer in Justice Studies at Charles Sturt University. Her research program examines the impact of the securitisation of migration, particularly its impact on refugee women. Dr Gerard’s wider research program includes analysis of intersections of gender, race and class including specific areas such as deaths in custody, sex work and ‘crimmigration’ practices in Australia. Alison is a contributor to the Border Observatory Project hosted by Monash University, Australia and Border Criminologies hosted by Oxford University, UK.