Gray Zone: Sovereignty, Human Smuggling, and Undercover Police Investigation in Europe

In order to take action against human smuggling rings, an undercover police investigative team must enter the gray zone, a space where legal and policy prescriptions do not hold. This book explores how the team makes ethical judgments when secretly investigating smugglers, traffickers, migrants, lawyers, shopkeepers, and many others, and how gray zones create opportunities to degrade subjects of investigations and take unnecessary risks.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 08 January 2019
Publisher: Stanford University Press

Gregory Feldman delves into the intricate world of undercover police investigations in a southern EU maritime state, where the line between law and policy becomes blurred. Through rare, in-depth fieldwork, Feldman explores the challenges faced by this seven-member team as they navigate the gray zone, a space where ethical judgments and risks are heightened. He questions how these investigators make ethical decisions when conducting secret investigations into smugglers, traffickers, migrants, lawyers, shopkeepers, and many others. Feldman prompts readers to consider the potential consequences of gray zones, where both the degradation of subjects and unnecessary risks arise. The ability to move forward in either direction hinges on bureaucratic conditions and the team members' willingness to embrace diverse perspectives.

Feldman delves into the personal experiences and daily routines of these investigators to unravel broader issues related to sovereignty, action, ethics, and ultimately, humanness. By situating his research at the intersection of the EU migration apparatus and the global, clandestine networks it identifies as security threats, Feldman develops an ethnographically-based theory of sovereign action. This book offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of law enforcement, governance, and the human condition, shedding light on the challenges and complexities of navigating the gray zone in pursuit of justice and security.

Weight: 358g
Dimension: 155 x 229 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503607651