This workshop presents an innovative perspective as it calls attention
to the perverse effects of the state of exception within the EU and its
consequences for all fundamental rights, opening the reflection beyond
the traditional placement of the theme of exception concerning of civil
and political fundamental rights. In this sense we will also have
specialists of different geographic (France, Spain, Portugal, Holland,
UK, Italy, etc.) and scientific areas (sociology of law, sociology of
labour law, Political sciences, migrations studies and criminology). We
are aware that this year there will be a workshop on this topic (“State
of exception, Law and Economy: A socio-legal approach to the economic of
exception in an era of crisis”, 2-3 June 2016). There is also another
workshop the 14-15 april (“The Limits of Criminalization: Precursor
Crimes of Terrorism – Towards an Orwellian Society throughout Precursor
and Communication Conducts? A Conceptual and Legislative Analysis). Both
of them seem to touch our topics. We think, nevertheless that: a) we
will have a specific deeper approach on the Law in action analysis,
reflecting upon how do laws may change and threaten the daily life of
European citizens (and those seeking this destiny to live). B) we will
also focus on recent events that are expected to have developments in
2016, such as the changes to the France Constitution concerning the
“Emergency State”. In fact, we believe our discussion will be of the
utmost importance and originality since France is now about to adopt new
restrictive measures on the life of citizens and that will be the
departure point of the debate in what concerns the restriction of
freedom. At the same time, austerity is still a central topic of debate
in the European Society and namely Portugal, Greece and Spain. Austerity
is not only a question of social inequality, exclusion and
impoverishment, but also the expression of a political and legal model
of erosion regarding the fundamental rights and social and normative
expectations underlying them. The new normativities of exception promote
ontological, political and legal insecurity in different spheres,
strengthening the mechanisms of control and penalization of citizens and
restraining citizens’ capacity to access their fundamental rights.
Finally, we are willing to use this workshop to deepen the knowledge
exchange and academic debates promoted in other scientific events and
gather the work developed individually in a book or/and a joint European
project.