Mediterranean boat people: a case for co-operation?

Abstract:

This article counters the hegemonic discourse about Mediterranean boat people as a 'threat' by representing the phenomenon as a welfare issue with political and socio-economic foundations. It requires thinking about people on the move as an issue of human welfare, and recognition that assistance and regulation address only the symptoms of structural features of the international system. Practical requirements, however, demand that the issue be treated as a fruitful area for functional transMediterranean co-operation through frameworks such as the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) and the project for a Euro-Med Charter for Peace and Stability. Maritime governance can privilege human welfare on this issue, rather than being constructed around strategic or civilizational security threats.