A new article by the project is out on the process of ‘vulnerabilisation’ of international protection. The article reviews this process and explores some of its consequences. Vulnerabilisation, the article claims, is a necessary and important element of ensuring protection of those most in need. However, the development also comes with possible downsides, such as selectivity, compartmentalisation and potential instrumentalisation of protection, which can turn into exclusion and politicisation. As such, vulnerabilisation walks a tightrope between mainstreaming and overreach.
Viljam Engström, Mikaela Heikkilä and Maija Mustaniemi-Laakso, Vulnerabilisation: Between mainstreaming and human rights overreach, Apr 2022, Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights.