Agency in Transit: Exploring the Factors Shaping the Agency of People on the Move in the Greek Islands and Western Balkans

A rise in securitization and border control at the European Union’s borders have led to fragmentation of migration journeys and extended times in spaces of transit. Therefore, experiences of being on the move mean a constant negotiation of new contexts and circumstances, which shape the agency of people-on-the-move (POM). This study explores how CSOs perceive the opportunities and constraints shaping the agency of POM in spaces of transit along the Balkan Route and Greek Islands. It views agency as a dynamic concept and explores supporting and limiting factors to the agency of POM. A particular focus is put on the role of interventions by civil society organisations (CSOs). Using a qualitative approach, the research is designed as a small-sample study based on data derived from interviews with representatives of six CSOs working actively with POM in the researched area. The study identified two distinct but also interdependent categories of agency. Individual-centred agency focuses on personal survival and aspirations, which is mostly supported through mobility and self-strengthening activities. Community-centred agency aims at collective empowerment and social change which requires a strong sense of community, and therefore community-strengthening activities play a crucial role. The main obstacles to the exercise of agency proved to be pushbacks, poor living conditions and uncertainty. The study concludes that, despite adverse conditions, POM continue to exercise agency. It offers critical insights for future project designs of CSOs and policy interventions to enhance the agency of POM and recognise them as active agents.