The Securitization of Migration: Greece in the 1990s

Abstract

The emergence of mass migration to Greece in the 1990s-one unforeseen by political elites and the mass public-resulted in markedly increased levels of hostility and fear vis-à-vis migrants. Interpreting this response from the perspective of societal security, we analyse both public opinion data and elite discourse. We argue that the official policies of the Greek state and public pronouncements of political leaders helped foster and perpetuate an interpretation of migration centred on threat, fear, criminality and security. Over the course of the decade, Greek public opinion and elite rhetoric were clearly characterized by a sense of danger and threat, both to Greek national culture as well as to individuals' own personal security.

Transnational Solidarity, Migration, and the Refugee Crisis: (In)Formal Organising and Political Environments in Greece, Germany, and Denmark

“…As can be seen in Table 1, numbers of asylum applicants and immigrants remained relatively stable over the years, with high numbers in the early 90s and again in 2015 and 2016. Xenophobia and racism increased with the rise of the number of immigrants but never became a salient topic in Greek politics, as newly arriving immigrants from neighbouring countries were perceived as temporary and a Greek 'ethos of hospitality and solidarity' still prevailed in public sentiments (Kiprianos et al, 2003;Swarts and Karakatsanis, 2012). The Greek state also saw immigrants as valuable contributors to the growth of the national economy but did not plan and implement a coherent integration policy (Triandafyllidou, 2009;Triandafyllidou and Ambrosini, 2011).…”

Securitizing Migration in the European Union: Greece and the Evros Fence

“…22 At the same time, Greek mass attitudes during this period were marked by a preference for cultural homogeneity and a security perception of migrants connecting migrants to increasing levels of crime. 23 The securitization of migration gained momentum in the 2000s, following Greece's membership of the Schengen system that established a borderless internal area in the EU. The establishment of the Schengen borderless internal area led to increasing concern with external border control and the blurring between internal and external security.…”

(In)securitization and illiberal practices on the fringe of the EU

“…Thus, the most influential securitizing actors, with the required societal currency, know-how, and status, are usually political elites such as those in government (Waever 1995). Indeed, the role of political elites in the securitization of migration and asylum in Greece has been extensively documented by various scholars (see Karyotis 2012, Swarts andKarakatsanis 2012). However, the role of security professionals and EU institutions in securitization processes in the country has been somewhat neglected by these studies, mainly due to inherent deficiencies in the traditional securitization framework: its narrow focus on public discourses that excludes other potential forms of securitization, such as material practices, knowledge, and professional skills (see Huysmans 2004Huysmans , 2006; and its one-dimensional focus on the securitizing actors that have the authority and are institutionally legitimate to perform a securitizing "speech act" (see Balzacq 2005, Karyotis andPatrikios 2010).…”

“…Thus, this paper uses the (in)securitization theoretical framework, and the (in)securitization process that took place in Greece in 2012 as a case study. Greece constitutes the ideal ground for applying the aforementioned theoretical framework, as the (in)securitization of immigration in the country is a complex and long process that has started to unfold since the country first became an immigration host in the early 1990s (Karyotis and Patrikios 2010, Karyotis 2012, Swarts and Karakatsanis 2012, Karyotis and Skleparis 2013. Additionally, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled against Greece, only in 2012, in several occasions on the grounds of the violation of the right to freedom from inhuman or degrading treatment.…”