The politics of irregular migratory flows in the Mediterranean Basin: Economy, mobility and 'illegality'

Abstract

Because of the irregular migration flows and use of irregular labour in their economies, most Mediterranean countries of southern Europe face administrative battles over the issue of so-called migration management. The main aim of this article is to elaborate how several countries of the northern Mediterranean Basin have experienced irregular migration flows in the past decade. Particular attention is devoted to the process ill which, when economies are in need of labour, international labour flows might be inevitable even if the related rhetoric and policies towards immigration are unsympathetic. This is debated here over the triad of economy, mobility and 'illegality'.