About the seminar
Henrik Kjellmo Larsen, PhD in International Relations, Affiliate, Monash Global Peace and Security Centre and Research Assistant, The Australian National University, Affiliate, Monash Global Peace and Security Centre and Research Assistant, The Australian National University, is an interdisciplinary researcher interested in crisis management, security, migration, policy and neoliberalism. From his work on spontaneous volunteerism and the management of forced migration. He is currently working on his book on spontaneous volunteerism, neoliberalism and the disruption of the management of forced migration.
Abstract
In this seminar we will discuss the critical role of spontaneous volunteers (SV) within the context of forced migration politics, drawing from my book situated in critical development studies. Illustrated through two case studies, the so-called Greek refugee crisis on Lesvos 2015 and those fleeing Ukraine after the Russian invasion in 2022, my research examines how neoliberal policies influence migration politics. Within neoliberalism all actors have to negotiate the part they play, no one can escape its logic. I employ a multimethod approach— including auto-ethnography, interviews, focus groups and participatory observation to examine the role of SVs in humanitarian borderwork, and how they affect and are affected by the management of forced migration. In the book I argue that SVs expose state and international organizations' failures to prevent human rights violations, and they for this SVs often face marginalization and criminalization. In the seminar, we will also discuss the role of SVs in relation to state actors, international organisations and forced migrants. We will discuss how humanitarian values are commodified in a neoliberal market, suggesting a corruption of humanitarian principles. The discussion will illustrate how the actions of SVs disrupt the illiberal practices that lead to the othering and mistreatment of forced migrants, showcasing their essential role in challenging and potentially reshaping the current system. In the seminar we will explore these insights and discuss their implications for the future of migration policy and volunteer involvement.