What if borders are governed not only by laws and technologies but by emotions?
In this talk, Maartje van der Woude (Professor of Law & Society, Leiden University) draws on her project Emotional Labour in the Borderlands (funded by the Dutch Science Council, NWO) to show how border officials are asked to perform and manage emotions as part of their work. From empathy and suspicion to fear and authority, these emotional dynamics are central to how migration and security are governed. While based on European research, the talk speaks directly to U.S. debates on policing, discretion and legitimacy.
This talk will be of interest to scholars and practitioners concerned with policing, migration, law and society, and the ethics of frontline enforcement.
