Autonomous Child Migration at the Southern European Border

Abstract

This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the meaning of the independent migration of Moroccan children and adolescents at the southern European border, taking a particularly close look at their status as subjects and their autonomy. Unaccompanied child migrants are trapped in a dual status of being both migrants to be controlled and minors requiring protection. Their entitlement to rights is constantly challenged – a result of the tension between protection and control. This chapter studies the autonomous migration of minors in the context of studies on child mobility and the construction of childhood and dependency. The mobilization of children and adolescents on the global migration landscape is related to breakdowns in dependency systems, selective border processes, and the perception of dependency as a resource that makes it possible to move in a transnational context. The meaning of autonomy is also explored, analyzing how decision-making on the part of children is done in accordance with their circumstances, their own nontransferable resources, and their distinct objectives. Finally, the family is considered within the context of the mobility of these children and how family ties combine with dependency and autonomy. Families are “left behind” in migration processes undertaken by children, making the reformulation of gender and generational relations possible.