The Balkan Route

This volume presents an in-depth investigation into the dynamics of irregular migration through Albania, which recently have radically transformed the traditional perception of the country from a land of emigration to a crucial transit hub.

Through an interdisciplinary reading, the author examines transformations in migration routes in the Western Balkans, highlighting how the externalisation of EU migration policies has affected the region, leading Albania to become a “stable containment” point for migrants. The author draws from empirical data, personal stories and policy analyses to explore the complex interactions between migrants, local communities and national and supranational policies. From the exodus of the 1990s to cooperation with Frontex and the latest bilateral accords with Italy, Albania’s trajectory reveals how migration governance has been reshaped at Europe’s borders. Addressing the evolution of the Balkan routes leading to the EU and their interrelation, and the impact of migration on the Albanian social and political fabric, the book concludes by underlining the strategic importance of Albania in European migration routes and the need to reformulate regional and European cooperation in the management of migration flows.

An important new interdisciplinary approach offering fresh perspectives on the role of transit countries in contemporary migration flows, it ultimately points to the importance of multidimensional understandings that integrate sociological, political and humanitarian aspects. It fills a crucial gap in the academic and policy debate and will appeal to scholars, researchers, and policymakers with interests in contemporary migration dynamics and their social and political implications.