Title: Data circulation and migration governance: a social-network-analysis method to track shifts in responsibilities

Authors: Andrea Pettrachin; Annalisa Pelizza

Addresses: Department of Cultures, Politics and Society, University of Turin, Lungo Dora Siena, 100, 10153 Torino, Italy; Department of Philosophy, University of Bologna, Via Zamboni, 38, 40126, Bologna ' Department of Philosophy, University of Bologna, Via Zamboni, 38, 40126, Bologna; University of Aarhus, Denmark

Abstract: Does the circulation of data of third-country nationals crossing the digitised and securitised EU border affect the distribution of responsibilities among institutions and organisations involved in EU migration governance, and, if so, how? This article proposes an innovative methodology based on social network analysis and cluster analysis to study data circulation throughout EU information systems and its effects for governance and applies it to the case of data circulation foreseen by the regulations that define the operation of five EU database systems. We show that data circulation shifts pre-existing distributions of responsibilities in EU migration governance, in three ways. First, it requires new actors. Second, new functions are assigned to pre-existing actors, which modify existing functional differences. Third, some actors are granted access to data unrelated to their specific areas of responsibility. Security actors are provided access to several types of data unrelated to security, which reveals important 'securitising' effects.

Keywords: data; European Union; migration governance; data circulation; securitisation; social network analysis; SNA; science and technology studies; STS; security studies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMBS.2023.138611

International Journal of Migration and Border Studies, 2023 Vol.7 No.4, pp.363 - 384

Received: 19 Jun 2023
Accepted: 04 Jan 2024
Published online: 15 May 2024 *

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