Concluding remarks: applying med-thinking proviso to set a research agenda on Mediterranean migrations

Zapata Barrero, Ricard

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42264-5_24

Concluding remarks: applying med-thinking proviso to set a research agenda on Mediterranean migrations

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Zapata-Barrero R. Concluding remarks: applying med-thinking proviso to set a research agenda on Mediterranean migrations. In: Zapata-Barrero R, Awad I, editors. Migrations in the Mediterranean: IMISCOE regional reader. Cham: Springer Nature; c2024. p. 419-28. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-42264-5_24

Abstract

Quickly reviewing images on "Mediterranean migrations" in Google Analytics (November 2022) and even going through Google Scholar Analytics, we can infer several premises. First, negative aspects by far dominate the public representation and research narrative over the positive ones, ruled by the same rhetoric most governments have constructed: crisis and instability, Mediterranean "dis-ordered" migration. This may invite us to reflect on the extent to which a research agenda, which is too often conflict-driven, may fuel mainstream policies and hegemonic reactive governance narratives. This concurrency between the political, the media and the social negative agenda is denounced by most of the contributions, and there is a general claim for a more encouraging or at least independent Mediterranean migrations agenda from scholars, highly contaminated by political decisions. The contributions in this co-edited volume provide a range of insights that can help shape this alternative narrative in Google. Ultimately, what this volume shows is that any research on Mediterranean migrations necessarily becomes critical, (quasi)activist, because any researcher is engaged against the dominant narrative wall.