The Fences of Melilla and Evros: Assessing Logics of Opposition and Support from A Multiscalar Perspective

Irene Cabrera-Nossa, Alejandro Daly, Sara Rodríguez and Alejandra Montañez

Journal of Borderlands Studies, 2025, vol. 40, issue 4, 817-839

Abstract: A rigorous understanding of the logic that support the transformation of European walls and fences requires a detailed study of the particular and interlinked visions of multiple actors beyond central states. This paper follows a multiscalar perspective to evaluate the logic of opposition to support from different actors regarding the border barriers between Melilla (Morocco-Spain) and Evros (Greece-Türkiye). It examines how neighboring states of Morocco and Türkiye, local governments, the European Union, and Amnesty International converge or not in their position towards each fence, considering their vision on specific dimensions of analysis, such as the purpose, suitability, and features of each fence. This paper adopts a qualitative methodology based on the compilation and analysis of discourses and official communications, local and international news media from 2013 to 2023, civil society reports, and scholarly literature. The article demonstrates more opposition to the Evros fence than the Melilla fence. Moreover, while various actors validate the purpose behind these artificial borders in reducing irregular migration, some actors show concerns about the effectiveness of this tool, and almost all stakeholders question the features of these fences. Notwithstanding this criticism, Spain and Greece have been able to advance in strengthening their fences.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/08865655.2024.2394050 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:rjbsxx:v:40:y:2025:i:4:p:817-839

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/rjbs20

DOI: 10.1080/08865655.2024.2394050

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Borderlands Studies is currently edited by Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly, Henk van Houtum and Martin van der Velde

More articles in Journal of Borderlands Studies from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().