‘NO MORE WALLS IN THE SEAS’: Migration graffscapes and migrants’ messages while en route to and in Europe

Abstract

Abstract This article explores forced migrants’ use of graffiti writing along their precarious and fragmented migration journeys. Previous research has recognized the use of graffiti by activist groups, yet existing empirical evidence of the materiality of life in transit and of forced migrants’ reactions to it remains scarce. Our analysis reveals how graffiti documents migrants’ agentic reactions to the uncertainty and adverse experiences they faced along their irregular journey. It shows how people on the move, who are stuck in transit situations, voice complex feelings, reclaim their identities and narratives, and denounce political struggles and restrictive migration policies. We argue that they use graffiti to cope with the uncertainty of their journey by nurturing solidarity and hope, and by producing a guidebook of supportive and protective advice addressed to the community of unauthorized travellers.