The city of Fès as a locus to investigate migration processes on the move

Migration processes are usually seen only from the perspective of their points of departures and arrivals. Therefore, people are framed as “emigrants” or “immigrants”. However, the temporal continuity and the contemporary “dimension” of migration processes characterizing our era is fostering to focus not only to the “nodes” but also to the “flows” of migration networks. According to this proposed actual and insightful perspective, this project proposed an original point of view on migration processes focused on analysing how Fez, in Morocco, works and fits as migration junction along migrants’ routes. This city designates a complex migrant landscape; the city has occupied a central position in traditional economic spaces, it is then a paradigmatic city in North Africa scenario as a whole, since it involves both internal and external migration flows. Within this realm, the project concentrated on the concept of urban citizenship to interpret the tension and the key dynamics taking place in the city.

The project allowed a rich experience in terms of both developing a scientific path by the on-field survey done and to strengthen and connect a network of partners and collaborations. On the one hand, it offered the possibility to open up a perspective on observing the mobility process on an urban citizenship standpoint, which is a fruitful path still generating publications and scientific echo. On the other hand, it enabled a fecund structured link with contacts and spot collaborations already existing, namely a couple of participations in the Festival of Amazigh (Berber) culture that takes place in Fez and a previous scientific exchange with the Euro-Mediterranean University. The experience is also fruitful in terms of further links, such as the support and interest in project results from the Swiss Embassy in Morocco (based in Rabat), that participated with a representative officer in the final project workshop, merged in the Forum Mondial on the topic “Les Défis de la Migration dans la Région Euro-Méditerranéenne: Amazighité, Femme, Echange Culturel et Développement”, held in Fez on 12th-14th July 2019.

In the project, the Leading House MENA was fully supportive and helpful in a two-fold way. First, through constant exchange and interaction, it allowed productive support in using the project resources in an aim-driven approach. On a couple of occasions, it proved opportune to slightly amend the activity schedule in response to new arisen opportunities, and the Leading House was very collaborative in this sense. Second, in the final accounting phase and in the preparation of the reporting documents, the dialogue was smooth and effective, in both suggesting tips and offering flexibility.

The impact of the project is still delivering effects in terms of publications and scientific interest in the path. Furthermore, we are still seeking to continue the project with further project initiatives. As for impact, worth mentioning are:
● An article on the important and highly ranked Pluto journal WOLG – Work, Organisation, Labour & Globalisation, Vol.13 n.1.
● An article already published on the highly ranked Journal of North African Studies
● A book on mobility and democratisation processes, edited by Prof. Moha Ennaji will be issued in 2022 with Routledge, and will include a chapter from Dr. Filippo Bignami on the experience of the project under a viewpoint of urban citizenship.
● The Euro-Mediterranean University organized in Fez, on 17 th October 2019, a workshop on “Migration, Mobilité et Développement” with the intention to establish a reflection on the topic, involving important actors working on Mediterranean relations and processes. SUPSI-LUCI (Labour, Urbanscape and Citizenship research area) was one of the selected institutions invited (represented by Dr. Filippo Bignami), and the only institution from Switzerland, thanks to the project assumption and results.

On a personal level, the project allowed to deepen and get specific acquaintance with the North African, Moroccan and Fez scenario. Besides, it paved the way for further stimulating scientific relationships, such as the one initiated with colleagues in Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Euro-Mediterranean university, and the Moroccan Institute for Statistics. Furthermore, it also allowed to deepen interesting ideas and scientific perspectives with colleagues working on these topics from the University of Geneva and the Lucerne School of Social Work. The bilateral cooperation was then fully satisfactory and intense, and we hope to be able soon to continue with further projects and joint initiatives.