1st Edition

The Securitization of Migration and Refugee Women

By Alison Gerard Copyright 2014
288 Pages 12 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

254 Pages 12 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

254 Pages 12 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

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... Read more

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.

Biography

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.

‘The Securitization of Migration and Refugee Women provides compelling evidence that a gendered analysis is essential for understanding the unique character of refugee women’s social exclusion, economic vulnerability, health risks, and experiences of danger and violence at all stages of their migration journey.  Eloquently written and carefully researched, it is essential reading for those interested in migration and refugee policy, border enforcement, gender and human rights.’ - Nancy A. Wonders, Northern Arizona University, USA

‘Alison Gerard has conducted an exemplary piece of feminist research, charting the fraught journeys of Somali women as they seek a secure future in Europe. The book combines rigorous socio-legal analysis, bold theoretical framing and unique data obtained by "hanging out" with Somali women who have negotiated the hazardous route to Malta. Using powerful first-hand accounts Gerard is able to bring home the true meaning, in human terms, of the securitization of borders.’ - Leanne Weber, Senior Research Fellow, Monash University, Australia

'The thorough analysis provided by Gerard makes this book a highly recommended read for a wide-ranging audience, from NGO personnel to policy-makers and legislators. Overall, this book achieves its main goal and contributes significantly to the debate on the tensions between the securitization of migration and the refugee protection framework.' - Angelo Tramountanis, Border Criminologies