I Gusti Agung Putra Trisnajaya | 188020

Liberalism Perspectives on the Global Refugee Crisis: the Mediterranean Sea Crisis

On 12 September 2015, the world was greeted with a shocking picture of a washed-up
death body of a young Syrian boy named Alan Kurdi on Turkish shore near a resort area in Bodrum
(Smith, 2015). The picture highlighted the plight of Syrian refugees who travels dangerous sea
journey through the Mediterranean Sea to reach Greece as an entry point to a safe haven in
European continent and other western countries (Smith, 2015). Since then, there have been
increasing numbers of unsafe boat journeys through the Mediterranean Sea resulting in the
worsening of regional refugee crisis in Europe and contributing to unprecedented hike of global
refugees in numbers. European states mostly responded by promoting stricter border security
approach and enacting policies driven by the spirit of national security, which is a more realism
perspective on the issue. However, liberalism theory furnishes a better understanding on the causes
and effects of the refugee crisis and provide better solutions on the Mediterranean Sea crisis than
realism and constructivism approaches.

Background of the Mediterranean Sea Crisis

Duarte, Lippert-Rasmussen, Parekh, & Vitikainen (2016) argued that the use of the term
European refugee crisis misrepresent the actual problem that refugees have been fleeing their
country since years ago and it is also too simplified to understand the crisis as only European
problems. This essay agreed to the contention expressed by Duarte et al (2016) that refugee crisis
is a global issue. However, limitation to the Mediterranean Sea is intended to focus the discussion
on how liberalism examine the causes, effects and solutions to a specific context, and eventually
to understand the global refugee crisis. The Mediterranean Sea crisis is an important case to study
the global refugee crisis from international relations perspective because it thoroughly reflects
states foreign policies and actions.
Historically, the Mediterranean Sea have been the primary route for refugees from Africa
and the Middle East to enter European land since the 1990s due to its strategic geographical
location (Steinhilper and Gruijters, 2018). Steinhilper and Gruijters (2018) explained that the
problem in Mediterranean Sea is only described as a crisis since 2015 because of the staggering
high record of people crossing through Europe within the year. United Nations High

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Commissioner for Refugees (hereinafter “UNHCR”) in the first six months of 2015 recorded
137,000 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean Sea (UNHCR, 2015). A more
recent data published on 13 July 2018 recorded 49,065 sea arrivals and 1,408 deaths and
disappearances (UNHCR, 2018). It is noted from the records that boat journeys have decreased
but the problem is still unresolved as many refugees continues to embark on perilous journeys
toward safety and protection in European continent.
In light of the rising refugee crisis, European states responded conservatively. European
states resorted to control unlawful migration through the Mediterranean by preventing possible
migrants to reach European land (Odutayo, 2016). European states further legitimately closed their
border from possible refugee claimants by enforcing rigorous border patrol control and
implementing national security policies instead of promoting preventive protection approach for
the cause of refugees (Odutayo, 2016). As an example, European Union increased its maritime
military presence in the Mediterranean Sea in 2015 by conducting join operations Poseidon and
Triton with the purpose of halting boats to arrive on European land through Greece and Italy
(European Union, 2016). At first glance, European states’ reactions to the crisis in the
Mediterranean Sea could be seen as a strengthened approach on securing national security, a realist
approach. However, the causes, effects and solutions to the refugee crisis are deeper than the issue
of national security.
Refugee crisis is a matter of human security, particularly on the idea to be free from fear
and personal security. Sadako Ogata, the former High Commissioner of the UNHCR, highlighted
in her keynote speech in 1999 that “refugees and internally displaced people are a significant
symptom of human insecurity crisis” (Ogata, 1999). Her contention continues to be relevant in
today’s global refugee crisis and the Mediterranean Sea crisis. Therefore, the best way to
understand the causes and effects and to propose the best solutions for refugee crisis is to study
liberalism perspective on the crisis through the application of human security measures.

Liberalism Perspectives on the Mediterranean Sea Crisis

Refugee crisis is a human security crisis. Human security is mostly driven by liberalist
view on promoting individual safety and security. There are two main liberalism assumptions best
utilize to understand the Mediterranean Sea crisis that relate closely to human security. Firstly,

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liberalism promote individual development. Jackson and Sorensen (2013) argued that liberalism
main interest is people’s happiness and satisfaction. Liberalism see state as an actor to promote
individual liberty. According to liberalism, the idea of democracy is the best ideology because
democratic states promotes liberal values in strengthening individual happiness and satisfaction.
Liberal values promoted by liberalism are “individualism, tolerance, freedom, and
constitutionalism” (Dunne, 2014, page 114). Liberalism consider any action taken by states
hindering liberal values will result in imbalance, for which people will strive to balance and seek
harmonization of their personal liberty.
The root cause of the Mediterranean Sea crisis is increasing numbers of civil wars resulting
in more people fled their country to seek individual safety and liberty. The Syrian civil war
contributed greatly to the refugee crisis and becoming the main country where refugees are
originated (Odutaye, 2016). Following liberalism view on individual development, the Syrian civil
war is understood to be a struggle for competing ideas on personal liberty. Syria is considered as
undemocratic state who does not uphold liberalist values. When democratic ideas spread to the
Middle East in the wake of Arab Spring, citizens felt the urgency to promote their individual
development through a regime change. This idea also spread to Syria causing civil wars and
insecurity to its people. The Syrian crisis continues up to today as there have been no clear and
effective resolution to the crisis.
Liberalism contention on individual development is also relevant in understanding the root
of refugees’ flight from other country. As an example, Eritrea’s policy on prolonged mandatory
military services has undermined the freedom of its citizens (Landinfo, 2016). Eritrea’s policies
on desertion and contentious objections to military service are detrimental to individual security
resulting in the flight of its citizens to obtain safety and security elsewhere (Landinfo, 2016).
Liberalism argue that the underlying cause of refugee crisis lay within the idea of upholding
democracy. Dunne (2014) argued that liberalism view undemocratic nature of a state is the cause
of conflict. Undemocratic states tend to jeopardize its citizens individual development hindering
them to seek liberty and freedom. Heightened restriction on human development force individual
to leave their country seeking liberty. In the context of a conflict, individual safety is at stake, thus
more people are trying to reach safety and security outside their country. Therefore, the cause of
the Mediterranean crisis is the inherent nature of undemocratic states inability to promote security
and liberty of its population.

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The first assumption is also relevant to explain the effect of the Mediterranean Sea crisis.
Refugees’ journey through the Mediterranean Sea is a desperate attempt of individual to obtain
liberal values. Refugees resorted to perilous boat journeys through the Mediterranean Sea as they
aspired more secure and safer land outside their own country where they can benefit liberal values
or simply to find better protection of their individual liberty and security. In effect, it increases
boat arrivals on European shores. Consequently, European states resorted to heightened its border
control in the area and enacted strong national security driven migration policies. Steinhilper and
Gruijters (2018) described European policies as being narrated to deter boat arrivals to their land,
which is in result producing controversial policies. Furthermore, European Union resorted to
restriction policy in cooperation with Turkey and Libyan Coast Guard in order to minimizing boat
departures (Steinhilper and Gruijters, 2018). Liberalism, however, contest European states and
European Union reactions to the Mediterranean Sea crisis. Liberalism value individual
development and thus European states adherence to national security is a diversion of their
democratic domestic values. Liberalism view that the best reaction to the Mediterranean Sea crisis
is to provide safety passage for individuals to access asylum in European continent, rather than
obstructing their access to safety and security.
Secondly, liberalism strongly believe in cooperation and international governance, which
provide a better solution the Mediterranean crisis in the spirit of human security. Liberalism take
the same approach with realist whose argument is vehemently based on human nature. However,
liberalism differ from realism by taking a more positive view on human nature, which they describe
as inherently good. Therefore, liberalism argue that cooperation is feasible. In terms of
international relations, liberalism propose that the world is more interdependent today than ever,
hence there is a need for international cooperation as an arena where state can resolve mutual
global problems. President Woodrow Wilson is a strong proponent to international cooperation
who argued that creation of international organization as a body regulating international anarchy
is the only answer to securing peace (Dunne, 2014). Other liberalist, such as David Mitrany, also
argued that states cooperation is needed for resolving mutual global problems (Dunne, 2014).
Deriving from the above assumption, the main solution offered by liberalism is to resort to
international cooperation in tackling the Mediterranean Sea crisis. Through cooperation with
UNHCR and International Organization for Migration, European states can ensure individual
safety of refugees and their access to safety and security. Since 2017, UNHCR has been a strong

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voice on the promotion of global compact for refugees, “a comprehensive and people-centered
refugee response”, to address rising global refugee crisis as well as the Mediterranean crisis
(UNHCR, 2017, paragraph 4 page 1). Therefore, liberalism believe that cooperation is the primary
way to resolve the Mediterranean Sea crisis as well as the global refugee crisis in the spirit of
upholding individual safety and liberty.
The same assumption can also be based to propose a solution to the root cause of civil wars
and conflict in refugees’ country of origin. Liberalism believe that cooperation on security, a
collective security, is a remedy to conflicts (Dunne, 2014). Thus, other states must promote
democratic values through diplomatic channels and through international cooperation to resolve
conflict in Syria, Eritrea, Somalia, Yemen and other refugees’ countries of origin through
diplomatic channels and through international cooperation. Thus, a stronger state cooperation is
imperative to resolve conflicts that are expanding globally.

Limitations and Contesting Ideas of Liberalism Perspectives on the Mediterranean Sea Crisis

Liberalism may not be able to provide satisfactory explanation on why European states
resorted to deterrence and restrictive policies in managing the Mediterranean Sea crisis. Realism
would highlight that liberalism view is unable to examine European states responds to the
Mediterranean Sea crisis by their approach on strengthening national security. Heywood (2011)
argued that from the perspective of realism, the main component of state nature is the promotion
of national interest. However, realism explanation disregards the comprehensive nature of the
Mediterranean Sea crisis. Realism is unable to factually explain the growing values in cooperation
to resolve the Mediterranean Sea crisis. Growing attention of the world’s population on liberalism
values have shaped a strong demand from people for states to resort to a more human centered
solution, which realism also cannot comprehend.
Another critic to the assumptions of liberalism described in the above part is a concern to
the nature of cooperation. Dunne (2014) explained that historical incapability of international
institutions to resolve crisis and disagreement have shown that states’ cooperation is difficult to
obtain and to maintain than described by liberalism idea. As realism proposed that states are
inherently competing creatures, this affect in their cooperation whereby states value individual
gain rather than mutual benefit for all. Therefore, when it comes to cooperation to resolve the

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Mediterranean Sea crisis, European states are more focus on how they will effectively benefit from
such cooperation. Hence, cooperation will never be able to fit liberalist ideals.
On the other hand, Mansbach & Taylor (2012) argued that from liberalist perspective,
states are more interested in obtaining absolute gain, that is benefit to all states, rather than relative
gains, that is maximizing its own benefit compare to others. This critic, however, posed a
challenging question to be resolve by cooperation in the management of the Mediterranean Sea
crisis. The formulation of cooperation, such as global compact for refugees proposed by UNHCR
in 2017, must be able to ensure that the initiatives will benefit all actors involve in the cooperation
as well as promote a safe and accessible passage to individual in seeking asylum for the protection
of individual safety and security. Liberalism answered that there is a need of stronger cooperation
mechanism in which international organization should be able to enact stronger rules and
regulations for states to follow.
On the other hand, constructivism assumed that norms and values define actors’ identity
and their perceptions of the world. Constructivist argued that individual action is mostly driven by
their view of the world (Mansbach & Taylor, 2012). Furthermore, perceptions of the world are
affected by individual identity, which is formed through individual exposures to historical events
and progressive development of social norms (Mansbach & Taylor, 2012). Following this
assumption on specific context of the Mediterranean Sea crisis is not practical because
constructivism requires a comprehensive understanding of each actors’ identity in the crisis. The
Mediterranean Sea crisis involves many actors, for example the refugees, country of origins,
European states, neighboring countries, and international organizations. Understanding each
identity and analyzing the competing ideas will not be efficient and effective to produce immediate
solution to the crisis. Moreover, constructivist fail to answer why European states, which are
mostly driven by democratic values upholding individual safety and liberty, resorted to
undemocratic policies towards the management of the Mediterranean Sea crisis. Hence, European
states reaction to the crisis is not primarily defined by the norms and values they uphold.
Despite the limitations to liberalism views, liberalism strongly values individual liberty
and security. Refugees are fleeing their country because their security is in jeopardy. Hence,
liberalism theory prevails in the study of the Mediterranean Sea crisis because it perfectly reflects
the causes, effects and solutions to the Mediterranean Sea crisis.

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Conclusion

The above explanation provides contextual explanation of the Mediterranean Sea crisis as
part of the global refugee crisis. Liberalism come up with two main assumptions: (1) individual
safety and liberty, and (2) international cooperation. These assumptions provide comprehensive
understanding to the causes and effects of the Mediterranean Sea crisis and producing better
solutions to manage the Mediterranean Sea crisis. Some critics argued that liberalism fail to
examine the European states measures on border control and national security policies and also to
explain incompetence of international cooperation in producing solutions to global problems.
However, liberalism lens come up with a comprehensive understanding of the causes, effects and
solutions to a human insecurity crisis of the Mediterranean Sea compares to realism and
constructivism approaches. (2497 words)

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