CFP: Workshop: "Rights at stake – the Nordic Welfare States and Europeanization of Migration Control" at 17th Nordic Migration Conference

The ”Nordic Welfare Model” is traditionally viewed as a scheme where equal opportunities and social security are promoted by means of governmental intervention in the economy. Under this scheme, vulnerable groups like immigrants are offered (relatively) strong support and measures are taken to promote their social integration. Currently, the Nordic welfare states are under pressure to ”Europeanize” their migration- and integration policies i.e. to harmonize their national policies with European law and directives regarding immigration and asylum policies. Under the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) a shared Asylum Directive is being developed that will influence EU member- states´ self-determination and national asylum policies. Although some of the Nordic countries are not members of the European Union, all of them are associated with the Schengen zone, and hence they are obligated to cooperate in matters like immigration controls. In parallel with the external pressure from Europeanization, the Nordic countries are also subject to an increasing internal political pressure from parties calling for more restrictive immigration policies- and control measures.

This workshop seeks to explore ethical implications of the Europeanization of Nordic migration governance and an internal pressure for more restrictive migration policies. Some of the questions that may be investigated are:

- In what ways are rights of refugees and migrants (regular and irregular) accommodated under the current harmonization of EU law/directives as compared to under the ”Nordic migration models”?

- How does the Europeanization affect the Nordic nation states´ right to self-determination with regard to their international commitments to individual human rights?

- What are the moral obligations of policy-makers in the face of a Europeanization of Nordic migration governance?

- What, if any, are the ethically relevant challenges for the Nordic states regarding the shared asylum directive?

Paper proposals (maximum 300 words) can be submitted until the 15th of March 2014. Send submissions to [email protected] 

Please specify the name of the workshop in your abstracts.