How Governments Privatize the Refugee Crises

Europe and Germany are struggling to cope with an influx of refugees from the Middle East and Africa. Fences and walls, to keep asylum seekers out, are replacing sustainable solutions. The EU is both unwilling and incapable of formulating a sensible response to the crisis. Antony Loewenstein has investigated how governments around the world are increasingly privatizing and warehousing refugees, outsourcing responsibility to companies running detention centres, health care and surveillance drones for profit. Australia, America and Britain are leaders in the field and Europe seems now blindly following. He will discuss these global trends to figure out why they are dangerous for democracy and offer alternative solutions.

Antony Loewenstein is an independent journalist, Guardian columnist, guest within the research unit of Global Governance and author of the recently published book “Disaster Capitalism”.

Introduction: Dr. Paul Stoop, Head of the Communication Department, WZB