Interception at Sea

This entry identifies and explains three conceptual frameworks that reveal what the legal debate on migrant interception at sea may contribute to the understanding of international law more broadly. Interceptions at sea have consistently raised tensions between competing legal obligations, highlighting the fragmentation of international law. These incidents, occurring predominantly along maritime borders between the 'Global North' and the 'Global South,' also provide valuable insights into the colonial and racial influences on international law. Moreover, debates surrounding sea interceptions shed light on fundamental questions about the nature of human rights. International legal debates on interception at sea have often tended to be couched in technical language concerning human rights, refugee law, or the law of the sea. But all three of these perspectives show the importance of the subject for international legal theory writ large.