Reorienting EU Border Externalization Studies: A Decolonial Intersectional Approach

This article examines the potential of adopting a decolonial-intersectional approach to reorient the field of EU border externalisation to better analyse the (neo-)colonial, racist and gendered nature of bordering processes, as well as their structural, psychological, and physical violence against black migrants from the the Global South. Grounded in critical theory, this approach acts as an academic intervention against Eurocentric and androcentric biases in research. By applying it to EU border externalisation, scholars can decentralise the field and incorporate alternative knowledges, aligning academic praxis with demands by oppressed groups to decolonise knowledge production and reorient ways of thinking. The article first outlines the key aspects of a decolonial-intersectional approach, showing why and how it enables deeper analysis of EU border externalisation. In light of this approach, it then proposes a critical reading of the literature on EU border externalisation. Finally, it highlights future research avenues that could be further investigated.