The multiplication of borders in migratory transits: an experience of a boat crossing

Abstract

In migration studies, transit is a crucial aspect for understanding the complexity and multiple border effects, occurring in profound inequalities in forms and experiences of mobility. The aim of this article is to show that, as opposed to simply moving from one point to another, these transits reveal many situational variations in migration control regimes and show how the border and its effects are felt far beyond the boundaries of states. Methodologically, I use a semi-structured interview with a Guinean migrant who recounts his experience of transit in the hold of a boat with the goal of reaching Europe. His account details the preparations for the crossing and the events in transit, showing how he encountered unimaginable aspects of the borders that made the journey a constant battle between life and death.