Research Information System
15th Pan-European Conference on International Relations, Athens, Greece, 1 - 04 September 2022, (Unpublished)
This study aims to explore the interaction between politics and military technology in practice and policy development within the context of the border security policies of the European Union (EU). Interaction between border politics and military technologies in multiple settings and levels has several implications for the construction of de-territorialized borders and for understanding of everyday practices in border security. Widespread use of new technologies in border surveillance such as artificial intelligence, drones, pilotless aircraft, biometric recognition, and automated decision making has changed the course of border management and security in the EU borders considerably. Through a comparative analysis of recent situations at the Greek-Turkish border and Polish-Belarusian border, this study aims to reveal broader political dynamics behind the militarization of the EU borders and the implications of proliferation of military technologies on border politics. In this regard, Critical Security Studies and Critical Border Studies inform this study’s arguments considerably alongside the more traditional perspectives. Preliminary findings of the study suggest that increasing use of military technology at the EU borders has frame breaking implications for understanding of borders and border management such as dehumanization, deterritorialization, the deconstruction of borders with lingering repercussions for European security and beyond