Navigating Immobility: Crisis of Movement and Subversive Strategies : WestminsterResearch

Title	Navigating Immobility: Crisis of Movement and Subversive Strategies
Type	Journal article
Authors	Mazzara, F.
Abstract	Migration, often regarded primarily as a spatial occurrence, is fundamentally a temporal experience, embodying the concept of immobility or temporal disbelonging as elucidated by Shahram Khosravi. This paper delves into the crisis of immobility inherent in human mobility, taking varied forms shaped by governmentality aimed at impeding movement. The manifestations include waiting for asylum application processing, indefinite waits at borders attempting unauthorized crossings into countries likely to reject entry, waiting in camps, or awaiting rescue during distress at sea. The paper emphasizes the urgency to deconstruct the prevailing hegemonic discourse on migration, portraying it as an uncontrollable crisis necessitating a stringent response often entailing increased border enforcement and militarization. This discourse is criticized for lacking common sense, as a true crisis, if existing, would have been resolved, preventing further loss of lives. The imperative to resist this misleading narrative is underscored. Focusing on practices of resistance to temporal immobility amid migration crises, the paper examines the experiences of Mediterranean border crossers, known as Harraga or border burners. These individuals depart North African shores for Europe via perilous routes. The analysis centers on Instagram and TikTok videos posted by these travellers, accused of glamorizing their hazardous journey. Contrary to this accusation, the paper interprets these videos as attempts to counter narratives of scapegoating and alarmism perpetuated by security-focused discourse and crisis policies.
Keywords	Migration, Crisis of Immobility, Governmentality, Harragas, Subversive Strategies
Journal	Crossings: Journal of Migration & Culture
Year	2026
Publisher	Intellect

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Navigating Immobility: Crisis of Movement and Subversive Strategies

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