The governance of international migration in Turkey and Morocco: Irregular migrants’ access to right to stay

This thesis analyses migrant experiences of illegality in Turkey and Morocco by taking into account how both countries responded to increasing pressure by the European Union to govern irregular migration within their territories. In dialogue with literatures on the legal production of migrant illegality, irregular migrants’ subordinate incorporation and political mobilisation by irregular migrants, the book provides a multi-layered analysis of migrant illegality. My aim is to reveal the implications of the rising concern with stopping irregular crossings at the EU borders for the wider region and particularly for the people who face such policies and practices. The research is based on the analysis of policy documents and interviews with key stakeholders and migrants of different legal status. I broadly look at how migrant illegality has been produced by law, practiced and negotiated by the state, by civil society actors and by migrants, themselves. The research focuses on different aspects of migrant illegality, such as experiences of deportability, participation in economic life, access to health care and education and access to legal status to reveal irregular migrants’ various incorporation styles and various ways irregular migrants seek access to right to stay.