Abstract

Since the Creation of the Schengen Zone with its restrictions on who can receive a visa to most of the European Union, Sub-Saharan Africans looking to settle in Europe without a visa must participate in irregular migration. One of the few routes that avoids significant travel by boat is to cross the land border between Morocco and Spain in the Rif mountain region. To do this, Sub-Saharan migrants must first cross the Sahara desert. This is a costly voyage and once migrants arrive in Morocco, they may have to spend time searching for work. Once they are ready to cross the border into Spain, they must get past razor wire fences, rough natural terrain, and armed border guards.

This study explores the history of this migratory route, asking how the circumstances that enable the human rights abuses at the Morocco-Spanish border developed. To explore this, one must center the voices of the migrants whose human rights are being violated while they are being pulled northwards towards Europe by the idea of more opportunity. This study features secondary sources and first-person accounts that discuss the place of transitory migrants in Morocco. Findings include that Morocco is placed in the position of intermediary between Africa and Europe by both geological and political factors and, on a more human scale, migrants often find themselves stuck in Morocco as a result of this.

Advisor

Sene, Ibra

Second Advisor

Duval, Marion

Department

French and Francophone Studies; Global and International Studies

Keywords

Morocco, transitory migration, human rights, Ceuta and Melilla, E.U immigration policy

Publication Date

2022

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

Download

Share

COinS
 

© Copyright 2022 Linnea R. Kedziora