Paper short abstract:

This paper investigates the intersections of privatization and externalization of border security. In particular, it outlines how private security corporations engage in the politics of externalizing border control and the continuing colonialities of the involved public and private actors

Paper long abstract:

In this paper, I aim to uncover the intersections of privatization and externalization of border security. The increasing role of private security companies in practicing and consequently externalizing border security represents a shift in power relations which this paper aims to problematize. The main interest lies both in how states and public institutions cooperate with private companies in the domain of externalization politics as well as the innate logics of private security actors. In particular, I am interested in examining colonial continuities and discussing the coloniality of privatizing externalization.

Drawing on the concept of migration industries (Andersson 2014, Gammeltoft-Hansen and Sørensen 2013), I describe the assemblage of private and public actors in the politics of externalization as a part of the "control industry", which describes the actors that enable practices that control and possibly even hinder migratory movements. In this regard, I will investigate specifically how corporate actors become involved into externalization practices through policy initiatives but also examine their specific objectives. Privatization of security has been shown to change complexions, power relations, and to cause problematic consequences, such as militarization. This paper aims to outline how private corporate actors engage in externalization politics. In doing this, it aims to uncover the (neo)colonial logics of externalization and how privatization exacerbates this aspect.

Empirically, I will outline two domains where externalization and privatization intersect, through migration control practices and through the technologization of border security. This will enable an analysis of how companies become engaged in different practices of externalization.