Dominant or subordinate? The relational dynamics in a protest cycle for undocumented migrant rights

This article investigates an undocumented migrants’ protest hat took place in Italy in 2010–2011 and examines the relational dynamics within the movement behind this mobilization. Although there is growing literature exploring different aspects of migrant activism and border struggles, the binomial migrant and politics has mostly been interpreted in terms of migrants as the objects of politics rather than the subjects. During the nine month protest a similar argument was used by authorities who recurrently stated that the migrants were remotely controlled and manipulated by their Italian advocates. Without underestimating differences in social and cultural capital and power relations within the movement, this article seeks to challenge this approach and problematize the relationship between the actors who organized and participated in the protest. Drawing on 27 in-depth interviews with documented and undocumented migrants and migrant rights activists, the article aims to show how relational dynamics go beyond the subordination–domination dichotomy.

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Ethnic and Racial Studies on 27/04/2017, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/01419870.2017.1312007