Frontex and the Rising of a New Border Control Culture in Europe

This book examines the rapidly expanding EU agency's distinct role in EU border control, showing that Frontex is a prominent border control actor that reshapes the EU borders by promoting a new border control culture.

Autorentext

Antonia-Maria Sarantaki is postdoctoral researcher in the School of Economics and Political Sciences at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and academic fellow in the Department of International and European Economic Studies at Athens University of Economics and Business. She holds an MSc Econ in Security Studies from Aberystwyth University, UK and a PhD in European Politics from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Greece. Her PhD thesis focused on borders and the EU border control policy regime.

Klappentext

This book examines the rapidly expanding EU agency's distinct role in EU border control, showing that Frontex is a prominent border control actor that reshapes the EU borders by promoting a new border control culture. Bringing culture into the analysis of Frontex, this book offers an alternative in-depth understanding of the agency's function, focusing on the production and diffusion of border control assumptions and practices within a border control community. Based on data drawn from primary research at Frontex and two EU external borders, namely Lampedusa and Evros, this book examines Frontex's contribution to the emergence of a new border control culture in Europe, replacing the pre-existing Schengen culture. Compared with the existing literature on Frontex, this novel account takes into consideration the evolving nature of borders and border control, discussing three contemporary challenges for the established border control regime: Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and hard security preoccupations, such as the fall-out from the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the weaponisation of migration at the Greek-Turkish land border. Frontex and the Rising of a New Border Control Culture in Europe will appeal to scholars and students of border management, EU studies, migration, geography, international relations, and security, along with policymakers and practitioners with an interest in EU border control and Frontex.

Inhalt

1. Introduction: the irrelevancy of Schengenland and Frontex's rise

Border evolution

New 'kids' on the border control block

Setting Frontex's scene

Border control actors

Speaking of culture

Cultures of border control

To Schengen or not to Schengen?

A new border control culture?

Book overview

Notes

References ****

2. Frontex: an insurgent border control actor

Introduction

Frontex's birth

Frontex's governance

Frontex's expansion

Frontex's institutional brigade

Frontex's deeds

Frontex's role in EU border control: reviewing the literature

Towards Frontex's reinvigoration: bringing culture in

Conclusion

Notes

References

3. Constructing Frontex's culture

Introduction

Frontex: the essential EU border control actor

Delving into Frontex's cultural traits

Conclusion

Notes

References

4. Constructing the border of Lampedusa

Introduction

The island setting

The making of a border

Border control conduct and actors

Frontex on the field

Border control assumptions and practices in Lampedusa

Conclusion

Notes

References

5. Constructing the border of Evros

Introduction

The river setting

The making of a border

Border control conduct and actors

Frontex on the field

Border control assumptions and practices in Evros

Evros and Lampedusa: drawing differences and similarities

Conclusion

Notes

References

6. Border control in process: the rise of Warsaw culture

Introduction

Culture loading

And its name shall be Warsaw culture

Schengen, Westphalia, Brussels, and Warsaw: variant in name only?

From Schengen to Warsaw

Frontex in Warsaw

Out of Frontex's box: EU institutions in Warsaw

Conclusion

Notes

References

7. Challenges to Warsaw culture

Introduction

Unsettling a settled culture

Brexit and the English Channel

Borders amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Borders and hard security

Conclusion

Notes

References

8. Conclusion: Frontex's leadership and the re-drawing of EU border control

Evolving borders

The rise of a new border control culture

The Frontex effect

Frontex's cultural impact

Between a rock and a hard place?

Looking ahead

Concluding reflections

Notes

References