Contentious Moves: Mobilising for Refugees’ Rights

Abstract

The introductory chapter presents the theoretical model, by discussing some assumptions about the impact of political opportunities, networks, framing, and repertoires of action on mobilisations for the rights of migrants. Bridging social movement studies with critical citizenship studies, it surveys in particular research on the so-called ‘poor people’s’ movements, singling out their peculiarities vis-à-vis the social movements that have been mostly covered in social movement studies. With reference to political opportunities, it locates the mobilisations within a critical juncture which challenged existing institution as difficulties in mobilising resources for ‘poor peoples’ account for the important role played by potential allies, but also at the potential tensions within the various actors. The repertoire of action is addressed pointing at the importance of, on the one hand, the very moves by migrants as acts of citizenship, and, on the other, of the mix of advocacy and solidarity in the campaigns in support of refugees’ rights. The importance of physical spaces—such as camps and borders—but also of their contestation is pointed at. Finally, the development of frames that challenge stigmatisation and assert the ‘right to have rights’ is presented as a main focus for the analysis. After having introduced to the theoretical model, the chapter summarises the content of the volume.