Spheres of Sanctuary: Creating Safe Spaces for Irregular Migrants through Territorial, Social and Discursive Practices

Abstract

Speakers: Julia Mourão Permoser, Danube University Krems Raffaele Bazurli, Queen Mary University of London Verena Wisthaler, Eurac Research In an ideal world, there would be no irregular migration. This is a statement that both proponents of open borders and proponents of closed and well-guarded borders would agree to. Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world, and the presence of irregular migrants is an undeniable reality that all European countries have to face. How can this reality be addressed in a way that respects migrants’ human rights and their claims to social membership while also upholding the rule of law? In this workshop, we tackle this question by investigating concrete practices that have been developed by sub-national administrations, civil society actors, and national governments. We look into three types of practices: the provision of sanctuary, that is, the creation of a safe space where irregular migrants can stay without fearing arrest and deportation; firewall policies that seek to ensure that irregular migrants will be able to access basic rights and services without fear; and regularization programs that provide a path to secure status and eventually citizenship. In particular, we discuss Territorial and Discursive Sanctuary: what can local and regional level administrations do to support irregular migrants and people in precarious situations? How do local authorities cooperate with civil society networks providing social sanctuary? On the basis of findings from concrete case studies, comparing cities in Europe and the US as well as discussing Wales as the “First Nation of Sanctuary”, we will analyse the potentials and limitations of these practices in fostering inclusion and membership, and discuss new avenues for research.