Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book addresses the major themes of migration in the western Mediterranean. However these events may have drawn attention to the Mediterranean as a migration region, the scope of the book extends beyond mobility induced by the Arab Spring. The book examines the Western Mediterranean as an important migration region and unit of analysis linking European and North African interests, shifts and developments in a physical space marked by geographical proximity, socio-political history, and most importantly the movement of people. It explores the most salient features of borders in the context of the Mediterranean through a set of conceptual, theoretical and empirical contributions. It emphasises the need for new types of policies and alternative approaches to the process of bordering, more focused on mobility rather than on territorial borders.