Violence, Resistance and the Border Regime: Shedding Light on the Reality at the Patras Settlement : Daily Struggles of People on the Move Through the Eyes of Volunteers

Abstract: The securitisation and externalisation of Europe's borders have had devastating consequences for people trying to cross them. As Greece is on the periphery of the European Union, its role in this process and in the journey of people on the move is crucial. This thesis focuses on the situation in the city of Patras (Northern Peloponnese) and the informal camp set up by people on the move there. Drawing from interviews with volunteers working in Patras and previous research related to Patras or other Greek refugee camps, this thesis applies the concept of borderscapes in order to understand the situation in Patras. The aspect of resistance that people on the move create against borders is central to the thesis, as it lies at the heart of the relationship that people on the move have with the borders they face. Furthermore, analysis through the conceptual lens of borderscapes explains how the border, like Patras itself, is a violent place in many different ways. Finally, I will highlight the paradoxical role that volunteers play in this system of bordering and how the mobility and visibility of people on the move are linked to European policies and strategies to selectively restrict certain types of migration.