Monday, October 27
6–8PM
CUNY Graduate Center
Kelly Skylight Room (9100)
Register here.

Seán Binder is one of the 24 defendants in one of the largest cases of the criminalization of solidarity and humanitarian action in Europe. After over seven years since his initial arrest, the felony trial against him is finally set to begin on December 4, 2025, on Lesvos, Greece. He faces 20 years’ imprisonment if found guilty of the charges. In his presentation, he will speak about his search and rescue work in the context of the so-called migration crisis as well as the underlying policies that brought about his arrest and pre-trial detention. Prosecutions like this have made solidarity work more difficult and, therefore, made European borders more deadly. This talk is a cautionary tale at a time when the rule of law is eroding and human rights are being violated.

Heba Gowayed is a writer and associate professor of sociology at CUNY Hunter College and Graduate Center, and a current Carnegie Fellow (2025-2027). Her award-winning book Refuge takes readers into the lives of displaced Syrians who sought refuge in the United States, Canada, and Germany. She is currently working on a second book, The Cost of Borders, where she argues that borders, rather than markers of sovereign territory, are comprised of a series of transactions that are always costly and often deadly. She is published in academic journals as well as public outlets including The Guardian, In these Times, Slate, Al Jazeera English, The New Humanitarian, and Teen Vogue.

Register here.

This event is organized by the Center for Place, Culture, and Politics.
It is free and open to the public.

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