Refugee protests in hotspots : a first comparison between Lampedusa and Lesbos

Abstract

In contrast with the narrative of voiceless refugees, this working paper shows the political agency of refugees in hotspots. The hotspot approach was introduced by the EU in 2015 to formerly alleviate pressure from Greece and Italy, however, it has rapidly led to the systematic violation of human rights. Hence, refugees are engaging in protests, often deploying extreme methods. The present working paper aims at analysing how refugees try to overcome the situation of limbo and isolation in hotspots. In addition, the paper aims at investigating the strategies deployed by the protestors and on how they use emotions to challenge the stereotyped idea of victims or threats. In particular, the article focuses on the comparison between the hotspots in Lampedusa, Italy and Moria, Greece, where the two factors of spatial isolation and protracted stays are striking the most.