If the state ‘keeps aloof’: Securitarian neoliberalism and informalization in the governance of migration along the Balkan route

In a world increasingly defined by globalization, the role of nation-states may appear diminished and even obsolete. And yet, national governments’ in/actions have a tangible impact on people’s lives, be them citizens or foreign nationals. Migration governance exemplifies this vividly. A growing number of diverse non-state actors have become actively involved in developing and implementing immigration, border, and asylum policies, diluting the influence of the state. At the same time, national governments are pushing migration to the forefront of the political agenda, fuelling a rise in nationalist discourses. Delving into this tension, my research interrogates the role of the state in a plural and multi-scalar arena of migration governance and how this role translates into actions or inactions. Employing a political and relational ethnographic approach, I investigated the asylum regime along the so-called Balkan route, and particularly in Trieste, an Italian city bordering Slovenia. Combining my role as a researcher with solidarity work, I actively participated in initiatives that support migrants along their passage through border zones. Through this grounded and engaged approach, my research sheds light on the real-world dynamics informing and surrounding migration governance. In this way, it shows how and why countervailing forces coexist: centrifugal forces that pull power away from the state, and centripetal forces that renationalize it. This reveals a form of governance I term ‘securitarian neoliberalism’, in which the state adapts its capacity for power and control, shifting from direct service provider to regulator. In other words, it ‘keeps aloof’, turning constraints into opportunities to maintain overall authority. Crucially, this approach fosters an informalization of governing modes, a shift towards the margins of the rule of law. Exploring connections with Political Geography, Governance and Informality studies, this works aims to contribute to the ongoing debate in Migration studies. Nonetheless, the scope of this research extends beyond the specific policy field of migration and asylum, revealing a concerning trend toward unaccountable, illiberal, and nondemocratic modes of governing citizens and non-citizens alike.