Assembling Transnational Policing: Europol’s Anticipatory Governance

ABSTRACT

Building on studies of transnational policing, security and digitization, we develop an assemblage-theoretical framework to explore perceptions of time in contemporary policing efforts. We use the concepts of techno imaginaries and policing assemblage to examine the articulation of temporality and multi-scalar connections between humans and non-humans in policing, which has become increasingly pluralised and digitised. We draw on documentary research on Europol to analyse anticipatory governance in transnational police work, including the linkages between humans and machines and identify a shift from post-crime towards pre-crime interventions. We critically discuss the significance of this shift for the character and robustness of expected future risks and threat assessments. Our reflections on the interplay between time and techno imaginaries contribute to critical analyses of the ways in which decision-making and interventions shape and are shaped by transnational assemblages in anticipatory governance.

KEYWORDS:

• Anticipatory governance
• assemblages
• Europol
• techno imaginaries
• transnational policing

Acknowledgements

We warmly thank special issue editors John Berten and Matthias Kranke for all their thorough and inspiring feedback on this piece, as well as for the helpful suggestions from especially Susan Robertson, Thomas Müller, Malcolm Campbell-Verduyn, and the journal's reviewers. Of course, the usual disclaimer applies.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hans Krause Hansen

Hans Krause Hansen is Professor of Governance and Culture Studies at Copenhagen Business School. His current research focuses on public and private governance, corruption, transparency and surveillance regimes. He publishes widely in the fields of international studies and organization studies.

Julie Uldam

Julie Uldam is Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School. Her current research explores the role of digital media in societal challenges, including the climate crisis and democratic debate. She was Chair of ECREA's Communication and Democracy section from 2012-2018.