The European Union Centre of Excellence at York University will be presenting a one-day conference entitled “Free Movement and Discrimination” on York’s Glendon campus on November 28, 2011. At present conference organizers are accepting paper proposals for this event at <maas@yorku.ca>

Democratic states tend to guarantee free movement within their territory to all citizens. Similarly, the European Union guarantees the right to live and the right to work anywhere within EU territory to EU citizens and members of their families. Such rights reflect the project of equality and undifferentiated individual rights for all who have the status of citizen. But they are not uncontested. Within the EU, several member states have or propose to reintroduce border controls and restrict access for EU citizens who claim social assistance. Some, most notably France and Italy, have emphasized their expulsions of Roma, which challenge human rights norms against discrimination. (CONTINUE READING)