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Balkan Criminology roundtable: Overlooked or Overstated? Rethinking Alleged Police Violence Against Migrants in Croatia and Beyond
Thu, September 4, 5:30 to 6:45pm, Deree | Auditorium, Floor: 7, 7th Level AuditoriumSession Submission Type: Roundtable
Abstract
This roundtable will critically examine contemporary migration trends in Croatia and Europe, with special attention to the methodological and empirical challenges of studying alleged police violence. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives—criminology, sociology, and human rights—we will explore how both state agencies and non-governmental organizations construct narratives about migrant treatment. On the one hand, while NGOs frequently highlight instances of excessive force by law enforcement, they often lack systematic, evidence-based methodologies to substantiate these claims. On the other hand, official data may underrepresent or downplay reports of misconduct, thereby raising important questions about reliability and validity in measuring violence against migrants.
This roundtable will offer an opportunity to discuss methodological innovations designed to capture forms of harm, including qualitative and quantitative techniques for gathering testimonies, monitoring border practices and analysing administrative records. The conversation will further address the complexity of balancing national security imperatives with human rights obligations and will consider the broader European policy landscape that shapes migrant experiences across different jurisdictions. By exposing different perspectives—from front-line practitioners to policy-makers and researchers—this roundtable seeks to foster a nuanced debate on the ethical, legal and methodological dimensions of migration management in Europe. Attendees are encouraged to participate actively in the discussion, offering insights from their own fields of expertise on how best to document, interpret, and respond to challenges related to policing and migration.