[Music] hello and welcome to French philosophers react a philosophical take on the news headlines for today September 11th 2024 this is an AI generated podcast and can make mistakes use it for generating possible ideas but don't rely on it as an authoritative Guide to the news or to the details of French philosophy in the news today Germany's interior Minister Nancy faser announced that the government will introduce border controls along the country's entire Frontier citing concerns over irregular immigration and National Security the move is seen as an attempt to regain control of the debate on migration which has dominated recent state election campaigns the decision was met with skepticism by some opposition parties who questioned its Effectiveness and legality Alexander doand of the Bavarian CSU accused the government of being incapable of introducing effective measures to reduce irregular immigration and said the move would not solve the problem faser defended the decision saying that the government was seeking to implement measures that were legally secure and would reduce irregular migration she also announced a sthe of related security measures that would be presented to the bundestag on Thursday the move has been criticized by NOS including Amnesty International which said that the proposed measures were in danger of hollowing out Asylum law they argued that seeking protection in Germany and Europe from human rights violations was part of the DNA of democracy the decision comes after a series of high-profile incidents involving migrants including a knife attack that killed three people at a festival in singan last month for which the Islamic State group claimed responsibility the main suspect was a man from Syria who was supposed to have been deported to Bulgaria where he had a apped for Asylum migration remains a major issue on voters agenda ahead of an election in the northern state of Brandenburg in less than two weeks the center-left social Democrats SPD to which Chancellor Olaf Schultz and faser belong are battling to maintain control of the state with the outcome seen as a likely determinant in the future of Schultz's government the move is also seen as an attempt to address concerns over integration security and strained Public Services including housing and education however it remains to be seen how Germany will be able to sustain the proper long-term control of its Frontier with neighboring countries so what might French philosophers have to say about this news item in security territory population Michelle Fuko astutely observed that modern states often employ tactics of control under the GU of security measures which ultimately serve to maintain power dynamics rather than address gen genuine concerns this Insight is particularly relevant in understanding Germany's recent decision to introduce border controls along its entire Frontier a move touted as a necessary measure to curb irregular immigration and ensure National Security at first glance the story appears to be a straightforward example of a state responding to legitimate security concerns however upon closer examination it becomes clear that this decision is in fact a strategic maneuver aimed at reasserting control over the migration narrative which has been a contentious issue in recent state election campaigns by Framing the introduction of Border controls as a necessary response to irregular immigration the German government is effectively creating a discourse of security that legitimates its actions while obscuring the underlying power dynamics fuko's concept of biopower is particularly useful in understanding this dynamic in the history of sexuality Fuko argued that biopower refers to the ways in which modern States exercise control over individuals and populations often through subtle and Insidious means the introduction of Border controls can be seen as a manifestation of biopower where the state seeks to regulate and manage the flow of migrants thereby exerting control over their bodies and lives moreover this move can also be seen as an attempt to reassert the state's Authority in the face of perceived threats to its territorial Integrity as Fuko noted in society must be defended modern states often rely on discourses of security and danger to legitimize their actions and maintain social order by Framing irregular immigration as a threat to National Security the German government is effectively creating a narrative that justifies its decision to introduce border controls while also reinforcing its authority over the territory however this Nar ative is not without its critics NOS such as Amnesty International have argued that the proposed measures are in danger of hollowing out Asylum law thereby undermining the fundamental principles of democracy this critique highlights the tension between security and Liberty a classic dilemma in modern Politics as Fuko observed in the birth of biopolitics modern states often face the challenge of balancing individual freedoms with collective security concerns in this this context it is worth noting that the story also touches on issues of integration security and strained Public Services the German government's decision to introduce border controls can be seen as an attempt to address these concerns which have been exacerbated by high-profile incidents involving migrants however as Fuko would argue such measures often serve to further marginalize already vulnerable populations thereby reinforcing existing power dynamics ultimately the story highlights the complexities of modern governance and the ways in which states exercise control over individuals and populations through the lens of fuko's work we can see that Germany's decision to introduce border controls is not simply a response to security concerns but rather a strategic maneuver aimed at reasserting control over the migration narrative and maintaining power dynamics as such it is essential to critically examine the underlying assumptions and motivations behind this decision lest we fall prey to the subtle yet Insidious mechanisms of biopower thank you for listening to today's episode of French philosophers react be sure to come back tomorrow for more reflective takes on the day's news [Music]