Intensification, extension, constitution
by Heiner Busch
In 2004, the EU will have grown to include 10 more states. In order to join, the candidates had to integrate the Schengen acquis and close down their eastern borders. The EU did not use its chance to revise its Justice and Home Affairs policies. The new charter also will not change the EU’s current policy direction. Although the European Parliament will gain more powers, they will only serve to accelerate already final decisions, such as the decisions on the remits of Europol. Summaries weiterlesen →

Democracy and demonstrations
by Wolf-Dieter Narr
The right to demonstrate is an elementary human right. Compared to the incrusted participatory forms of parliamentary democracy, public and collective actions present an important democratic corrective. Whoever wants to strengthen democracy, should not curtail the right to demonstrate, but should themselves make ample use of it. Summaries weiterlesen →

Cybercrime – the future of electronic surveillance
by Albrecht Funk
The much-recited mantra that cybercrime is an abuse of the internet is misleading. Behind the moralising crusades against child pornography and „Islamic terrorism“ are interest coalitions of private and public actors, who are trying to create the future order of public rights and public wrongs in their image and at any cost. Summaries weiterlesen →

Enabling Acts (Editorial)
by Wolf-Dieter Narr
The anti-terror-laws, which were rushed through parliamentary debate, are Enabling Acts. A weak parliament agrees to a further reduction of its controlling powers. The 11th September serves as an all-inclusive legitimisation for a large-scale extension of powers for police and secret services. Summaries weiterlesen →

The EU’s Police Policy Machinery after Amsterdam
by Heiner Busch
Within the European Union the machinery of justice and home affairs policies continues to operate completely devoid of any parliamentary control. The fixing of acquis‘ guarantees that all the decisions and institutions which have been created in the past can now only be further developed. There appears to be no democratic reverse gear. Summaries weiterlesen →

Why I am Opposed to Outlawing the NPD Despite Being Radically Opposed to this Party
by Wolf-Dieter Narr
You can’t promote democracy by nullifying certain elements of it – for instance, by outlawing a political party. Outlawing the NPD will accomplish nothing in terms of overcoming its violence based on racist prejudices; this move is predominantly aimed at demonstrating to Germany’s international partners that the mainstream parties in German society who have massively curtailed the rights of migrant persons and refugees on German soil are doing something to counter right-wing radicalism. Thus, the attempt to outlaw the party is symbolic politics and as such an abuse of the federal constitutional court. Summaries weiterlesen →

Police Brutality
by Norbert Pütter
Traditionally, police brutality is defined as the excessive or illegal use of physical force on the part of police officers. Based on this definition, the article discusses various approaches to arriving at an understanding of the causes for and the individual or situative, sociological, institutional as well as legal and political factors which play a role. Based on this approach it becomes apparent that police brutality can only be adequately understood if the context in which such activity takes place is adequately taken into consideration. Physical brutality is shown to be only one of several intimidating police practices. Summaries weiterlesen →

Civilian Mobilization in the Context of Internal Security
by Hubert Beste
Following several decades of centralization Germany now finds itself addressing its attention to the local community in the public debate over „internal security“. With civilian patrols, prevention councils and various forms of security partnerships, the state is currently launching an attempt to recruit local civilian populations as co-producers of domestic security. While moving in this direction the state undoubtedly divests itself of elements of its responsibility, yet still retains its authority to direct all activities while simultaneously pursuing its neo-liberal strategy of scaling down on the path to lean government. Summaries weiterlesen →