Presentation and discussion of the paper “Democratizing the Police in Europe”, by Georgios Papanicolaou and Giorgos Rigakos, in cooperation with Nicos Poulantzas Institute and Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.
Download the paper for free at the Publications site
The issues addressed are the following:
I. Varieties of Police Organizational Models
What are the different organizational models of the police? Indicate their basic features and their impact on the social control of crime. Particular emphasis is to be placed on the division between Northern and Southern Europe and on the models adapted respectively by these regions.
Which are the macrohistorical causes shaping the trajectories followed by the different models? Emphasis to be placed on the timing of democratic transition and on whether nation-states under scrutiny emerged out of disintegrating empires.
To what extend the different models of policing in Europe converge into a unison neoliberal model that focuses on the preservation of Law and order?
II. The Relations of Police and Democracy in Times of Crisis. The Agenda of Law and Order
In what ways the neoliberal model is consolidated in further in times of crisis? Do the grounds of Law and Order do we witness an insulation of the police bureaucratic machinery from democratic control? In what ways democratic control can be restored and preserved in a corrupted and autarchic police? This process of Police autonomization is accompanied further by a link between the police and Far-right cells? Which are the “best practices” for quelling this process?
III. Possible Left Responses in the Organizing of Police
Is there a Left democratic answer to the neoliberal dogma of policing which is based on the fear of crime?
In what ways can we face current neoliberal policies based on Law and Order?
The essay includes both the theoretical and practical aspects of the topic. Furthermore, provides the political and social reasoning to the development of the various models of policing and finally the most interesting characteristic is that concludes in specific series regarding the orientation and implementation of a radical left transformation of police. It has been published as transform! discussion paper.
Programme
Friday 21 November
15:00-15:30 Opening Haris Golemis, legal representative of transform!-director of Nicos Poulantzas Institute, Walter Baier, coordinator of transform! europe Network
First session 15:30 – 17:30
DEMOCRATIZING POLICE IN EUROPE: THEORETICAL TRENDS AND POLICY PERSPECTIVES
15:30 – 16:30 Essay PresentationGeorge Papanicolaou, Teesside University, George Rigakos, Carleton University
16:30- 17:00 Discussants: Sophia Vidali, Democritus University of Thrace,
17:00-17:30 Discussion
Chair: Haris Golemis, Director of Nicos Poulantzas Institute
Coffee break 17:30 – 18:00
Second Session 18:00 – 20:00
THEORETICAL VARIATIONS OF SECURITY AND CONTROL IN LATE MODERNITY: CAPITALISM, CRIME, POLICE, POLICING
18:00 – 18:20 Volker Eick, Humboldt University
18:20 – 18:40 Stratos Georgoulas, University of the Aegean
18:40 – 19:00 Anastasia Tsoukala, University of Paris XI
19:00 – 20:00 Discussion
Chair: Fanis Papageorgiou Dr. NTUA, Transform! Europe
Saturday 22 November
First session 11:00 – 13:00
SECURITY, POLICING AND DEMOCRACY IN EU
11:00 – 11:20 Andreas Giolasis Greek dept. Amnesty International
11:20 – 11:40 Cleio Papapantoleon, Lawyer, g.s, Hellenic League for Human Rights
11:40 – 12:00 Spyros Koulocheris Greek Council for Refugees
12:00 – 13:00 Discussion
Coffee break 13:00 – 13:30
Chair: Dimosthenis Papadatos Anagnostopoulos SYRIZA, dept. of Rights
Second session 13:30 – 15:30
POLICE REFORMS IN EUROPE
13:30 – 13:50 Dagmar Svendova, Czech Republic, responsible on issues of security and justice, Communist party of Bohemia-Moravia
13:50 – 14:10 Tasos Mavropoulos, responsible of security and justice dept., SYRIZA
14:10 – 14:30 Fabien Guillaud Bataille, responsible on issues of security and justice, PCF
14:30 – 14:50 Hakan Tas (MP, DIE LINKE)
14:00 – 14:50 Discussion
Chair: Giorgos Papanikolaou, Teesside University
End of morning session
Third session 17:30-19:30
STATE POLICE AND THE STATE IN LATE MODERN CAPITALISM
17:30 – 17:50 Salvatore Palidda, University of Genova
17:50 – 18:10 Nikolaos Koulouris Democritus University of Thrace
18:10 – 18:30 Antreas Karitzis, dr Philosophy, Central Committee of SYRIZA
18:30 – 19:30 Discussion
Chair: Sofia Vidali, Democritus University of Thrace
Sunday 23 November
First session 10:00 – 11:30
POLICE, POLICING AND CIVIL RIGHTS IN GREECE
10:00 – 10:20 Vassilis Karydis, The Greek Ombudsman
10:20 – 10:40 Christos Fotopoulos g.s. Hellenic Federation of Police Servants
10:40 – 11:00 Dimitris Tsoukalas, MP, responsible for security and police issues, SYRIZA
11:00 – 11:30 Discussion
Chair: Tasia Christodoulopoulou, Lawyer, dept. of Rights SYRIZA
Coffee break 11:30 – 12:00
Second session 12:00 – 13:45
POLICE, CRIME AND SECURITY IN GREECE DURING ECONOMIC CRISIS
12:00 – 12:20 Giannis Panousis, University of Athens, MP DIMAR
12:20 – 12:40 Olga Themeli, University of Crete
12:40 – 13:00 Grigoris Lazos, Panteion University
13:00 – 13:30 Discussion
Chair: Athina Athanasiou, Panteion University, vice pr. Nicos Poulantzas Institute
Launch Break 13:30 – 15:30
Third session 15:30 – 17:30
FREEDOM, SECURITY, POLICE: LAW, IDEOLOGY AND REALITY OF SOCIAL ORDER
16:00 – 16:20 Elli Simeonidou – Kastanidou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
16:20 – 16:40 Nikos Paraskevopoulos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
16:40 – 17:00 Sophia Vidali, Democritus University of Thrace
17:00 – 18:00 Discussion
Chair: Sia Anagnostopoulou, Panteion University
Coffee Break 18:00 – 18:15
Round Table 18:15 – 20:00
TOWARDS A DEMOCRATIC POLICE: A LEFT PERSPECTIVE
Aristidis Baltas pr. NTUA, president of the Nicos Poulantzas Institute, Vasiliki Katrivanou MP dept. of Rights, Mania Mpartefski, dept. of Rights, SYRIZA Dimitris Tsoukalas, MP, Tasos Mavropoulos, responsible of security and justice dept., SYRIZA