The lecture is dedicated to the support landscape surrounding civil sea rescue in the central Mediterranean - for example from politics, the church or art - and asks about the motives for this commitment. Based on qualitative interviews from Spain, Italy and Germany, it will be shown that sea rescue can be understood by supporters as an expression of democratic values and as a counter-image to state inactivity. An analytical distinction between SAR NGOs and their supporter landscape is proposed in order to make visible how both sides complement each other and together develop political meaning beyond the act of rescue.

Please register by e-mail to heike.winzenried@uni-siegen.de