This seminar explores the concept of free movement of people through the lens of border studies. We begin with a short introduction to key theories in border studies as well as to the debate around global free movement and open borders within the context of globalization. Equipped with this conceptual background, the course mainly focusses on regional free movement as a legally regulated form of mobility and border opening between member states of regional organizations.
The seminar investigates regional integration projects worldwide that establish "islands of freedom" (Iglesias Sánchez 2015) with relatively open borders, offering a critical perspective on these frameworks and practices. While the European Union's free movement framework is best known and often considered the most advanced, the course challenges Eurocentric perspectives by diving into free movement frameworks in regions beyond the EU, such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) in Latin America. These frameworks offer diverse conceptualizations and practices of free movement, enriching our understanding of how mobility is regulated across different world regions.
A key theme throughout the seminar is the tension between openness and closure, while exploring processes of de- and rebordering (Mau 2021). We will also take a look at the interplay between top-down policy approaches and bottom-up migrant practices that shape free movement regimes.
The seminar language is English.
