EU-Belarus border crisis (In)definitions: A case study of Poland

Gabriel Olegario

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Following the EU-Belarus border crisis that was initiated in July 2021, Minsk was accused of sending thousands of migrants to pressure the EU’s external borders. Due to the reported international law violations, the main goal of this research is to find the influence of the securitization discourse on the EU-Belarus border crisis and understand what are the implications in the Polish-Belarus border considering the use of the narrative of “Hybrid War”. To analyze how this securitization discourse is legitimate, efficient, and productive, and how the narrative of “hybrid warfare” may legitimize the use of force and suspension of human rights, this research goes further on the specificities of Polish discourse and policies. The methodology applied to this research corresponds to exploratory research focused on the EU-Belarus border crisis. It is carried out primarily as exploratory research regarding the conceptualization of the EU-Belarus border crisis and later as a case study on Poland. Therefore, this research should focus on two different approaches, from a political science perspective looking at the conceptualization of the EU-Belarus border crisis, and later on a legal perspective, taking into account that official discourses, as well as law amendments, can create a bounding effect on society. The partial results are related to the articles within international law that Poland has violated.

Keywords

Hybrid Warfare, Migration, 2021 Polish-Belarus border crisis

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 29. 6. 2022

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 15. 8. 2022
• Supervisor: Mgr. Sylvie Bláhová, Ph.D.
• Reader: Mgr. Stanislav Myšička, Ph.D.

University of Hradec Králové

Faculty of Arts

Bachelor programme / field:
Political Science / Political Science