Abstract
AbstractThis paper analyzes the role of border fortifications for migration control and access to asylum based on two case studies: the Hungarian–Serbian and U.S. American–Mexican borders. The research is based on qualitative interviews on both sides of the borders. It shows that despite other options for border control, fortifications still play an important role, especially for asylum seekers. Fences fulfill a material, a symbolic and a filtering function here. The three functions contribute in different ways to preventing asylum seekers from crossing the border, thus depriving refugees of the opportunity to apply for asylum. The paper shoes that fences fulfill functions that other forms of border control (such as shifting or smart borders) cannot accomplish in the same way and it thereby contributes to understanding the ‘puzzle’ of contemporary border fencing.
Funder
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Law,Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty,Sociology and Political Science,Geography, Planning and Development,Demography,Law,Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty,Sociology and Political Science,Geography, Planning and Development,Demography
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