Pandemic Response as Border Politics

Border Region

Whole world

Language(s)

Anglais

Type

Note on a scientific paper, a conference paper, etc.

Main Category

Governance – Power – Cooperation

Introduction

Border controls and closures, often introduced preventively to limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic are political measures more than health measures.

Summary

Border controls and closures have historically been used to combat epidemics. These are measures that can be implemented on simple authority of States but whose efficacy remains to be widely validated scientifically. In 2020, numerous countries reacted in this way to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, even before implementing domestic policies against the disease. In these countries the speed of this response is linked to past policies which relied on tightening border controls to reinforce the feeling of security and belonging. However, this trend is antithetical to the implementation of an effective public health policy.

Content

In the past, border control has always been used by governments to externalise public health risks. It is a method known and accepted by populations, but which has never proved its effectiveness on a scientific level. Among the responses to the public health crisis, the article distinguishes between these external measures and internal measures (social distancing, lockdown) and argues that the former have been implemented as a priority by countries that legitimise a part of their domestic policy by an increasing need for autonomy.

The first part of the article consists of a historical detour illustrating the recurrence of border control measures in times of crisis. The reflex of withdrawing behind the borders was most widespread in the 20th century, even during the SARS episode in 2003. This recurrence is also explained by terms such as "quarantine" or "cordon sanitaire" which both convey notions of isolation and closure.

The second part focuses on the tendency that politician have of externalising risks linked to pandemics by controlling the borders. This tendency also corresponds to political calculations fuelled by fear and provides a firm, easily understood response in periods of uncertainty. To support this theory, the author emphasises the concept of (political) border orientation. This concept addresses the tendency that a state will have to undertake to filter movements of goods and people entering and leaving its territory. This orientation can be very permissive for the countries that are most open in this regard, but also very controlling in countries that make large investments in infrastructure to close and control borders.

The third part is the empirical section of the article and identifies what connects the mechanisms of border governance to the domestic or external policies applied in times of crisis. These analyses, among other things, establish that countries more focused on their autonomy and sovereignty are those that implement border closure measures first. These countries are also those that have the strongest political border orientation.

Conclusions

Leaders who legitimise their policies by referring to sovereignty and the right to autonomy were those who prioritised these methods in the 2020 crisis.

Understanding how states have invested in recent years in reinforcing and controlling their physical borders allows us to have a better grasp of how they react to a pandemic. The concept of border orientation is a precious aid in explaining that link. The Covid-19 episode has revealed the growing - even accelerating - trend that these states are part of.

Unilateral policies have dominated during the fight against coronavirus at international level. This episode calls upon the field of border studies to look again at the major issues relating to border governance at international level. Researchers must now consider international borders as a potential domestic policy resource. It is clear that borders are being mobilised more and more to implement domestic policies. Understanding this trend will provide research on cross-border governance with new challenges.

Key Messages

There are no unequivocal, scientifically recognised solutions to combat epidemics of the scale of the 2020 pandemic in a targeted way. Faced with this uncertainty, states have no other solution than to mobilise internal and external measures. For governments that base their political agenda on sovereignty, it is external border closure and control measures that are implemented swiftly. There is therefore a risk to democracy in this instrumentation of borders in times of crisis.

Lead

Michael R. Kenwick, Beth A. Simmons

Author of the entry

Sylvain

MARBEHANT

Links

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-organization/article/pandemic-response-as-border-politics/0A9FC8629BF379D0CFFADD0661547DA3#article

Keywords