refugees in the mediterranean Flashcards
how many people died in 2023 trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea
over 300
what is a migrant
a person residing outside their place of origin. they are entitled to human rights protection, regardless of their legal status or whether they faced persecution at home
what is a refugee
a refugee is a person who has fled their country because they are at risk of serious rights violations and persecution
what is an asylum seeker
a person who has left their country and is seeking protection in another country but not yet legally recognized as a refugee. seeking asylum is a human right
why do people migrate?
to seek better economic opportunities, to seek education, to join relatives, to flee violence, war, hunger or extreme poverty, to escape persecution due to political factors, gender identity, or sexual orientation
how does migration make people vulnerable?
external factors
physical dangers like exposure, hunger, thirst, or harsh terrain; as well as detention, kidnapping, forced labour, extortion by smugglers, sexual and other violence
why do people want to migrate to the mediterranean?
because of the EU’s economic prosperity and stability, it is a desirable destination for migrants. also the Mediterranean nations are both the easiest ports of entry for migrants and the least economically powerful of the European states
why do these mediterranean nations struggle with migrants?
what does it lead to for the mgirants
because they are placed in a position of having to defend the borders of the EU and often lack the infrastructural and economic capital to adequately deal with the volume of migrants and refugees which leads to structural and political violence towards migrants
borders vs. boundaries
a border is an agreed upon geographic territory of nations. borders play a key role in nation building. a boundary is a real or imagined division between or among people (can include ethnicity, race, religion, sex, language, gender, political ideology, etc.)
what are the two conflicting political narratives on migration
migration as threat to nation, migration as humanitarian issue
what does the narrative ‘migration as threat to nation’ say
and what does it lead to?
migrants are seen as too difficult to integrate into the nation-state and perceived as a threat to national identity and national resources. leads to deterrence and securitization of migration and political violence towards migrants. (for example, search and rescue missions are discouraged and penalized)
what does the narrative ‘migration as a humanitarian issue’ say
migration is a human right and migrants deserve safe, legal pathways. irregular migration occurs because of lack of safe, legal pathways, leading desperate people to risk their lives. this leads to humanitarian efforts to aid migrants.
how do mediterranean nations respond using both political narratives on migration
mediterranean nations both deter and attempt to aid migrants. NGOs rescue stranded migrants in the Mediterranean and try to help them reach a safe haven, but rescue boats are often refused permission to land– migrants are detained and refused entry upon arrival
what is the migration crisis a result of
result of the global inequality between the global north and south, and reproduction of colonial patterns of disempowerment and racial inequity. “fortress capitalism” and rise of 21st century fascism a response to this perceived threat of migration
what do migrants experience?
language barriers, culture shock, alienation, economic hardship, racism, discrimination, xenophobia, loss of social support networks, homelessness, identity formation stress, mental health issues.
how do migrants form communities
form communities around the shared experience of migration in their destination. some learn new skills and take advantage of new opportunities. Italy, Greece, and Spain have resettled migrants in depopulated rural areas where they bring new life to old towns.
migrants and buearacracy
irregular migrants often face steep legal and bureaucratic hurdles to regularize status. NGO workers or lawyers must make hard decisions under the impossible conditions which leads to bureaucratic violence against migrants, even the NGOs that exist to help migrants.
which country has the fastest rising asylum application rates
greece
what is one of the most trafficked borders in the EU
the greek border, particularly euros river between Greece and turkey
who is heath cabot
the author of the ethnography “on the doorstep of Europe”
what is a pink slip
a bureaucratic object that marks asylum, a thin piece of paper not made to last. easy to tell who has been waiting/been in the process longer because of how their cards look. police can check this card, it is a method of control.
what do migrants in Athens experience
usually experience lots of racism. referred to as aliens. there is abuse in line, some people gassed while waiting to get pink slips. the wait is long, anxiety is high.
the presence of the past in migration and cabot’s ethnography
greek tragedies like oedipus and etc– about people who have made mistakes and then their tragedies have a consequence, they have to make a choice. similar to tragedies of Ancient Greece
what is filoxenia
hospitality offering
