COVID-19 vaccines, mobility, and pandemic bureaucracies: Undocumented migrants’ perspectives from Italy's Alpine border
While scholars have noted the deeply unequal effects of the pandemic containment, there has been limited attempt to map the socio-political lives of vaccination policies, particularly from the perspective of undocumented persons moving at state margins. This paper explores how undocumented migrants,...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Migration and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623523000399 |
| _version_ | 1797799897666158592 |
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| author | Costanza Torre Elizabeth Storer |
| author_facet | Costanza Torre Elizabeth Storer |
| author_sort | Costanza Torre |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | While scholars have noted the deeply unequal effects of the pandemic containment, there has been limited attempt to map the socio-political lives of vaccination policies, particularly from the perspective of undocumented persons moving at state margins. This paper explores how undocumented migrants, who were predominantly male travellers attempting to cross Italy's Alpine borders, encountered Covid-19 vaccines and contemporary legislation. Based on ethnographic observations and qualitative interviews with migrants, doctors, and activists at safehouses both on the Italian and French sides of the Alpine border, we trace how mobility centred decisions to accept or reject vaccines were significantly shaped by exclusionary border regimes. We move beyond the exceptional focus of the Covid-19 pandemic to show how centring visions of health connected to viral risk diverted attention from migrants’ wider struggles to move to obtain safety. Ultimately, we argue for a recognition of how health crises are not merely unequally experienced, but may result in the reconfiguration of violent governance practices at state borders. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:26:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6b62f9e8d05240c98aa9d0146cf1c70f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-6235 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:26:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Migration and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-6b62f9e8d05240c98aa9d0146cf1c70f2023-06-20T04:21:10ZengElsevierJournal of Migration and Health2666-62352023-01-017100189COVID-19 vaccines, mobility, and pandemic bureaucracies: Undocumented migrants’ perspectives from Italy's Alpine borderCostanza Torre0Elizabeth Storer1Corresponding author.; London School of Economics, Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa, Pethick - Lawrence House (Tower 3). 3 Clement's Inn, Mobil Court, London WC2A 2AZ, United KingdomLondon School of Economics, Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa, Pethick - Lawrence House (Tower 3). 3 Clement's Inn, Mobil Court, London WC2A 2AZ, United KingdomWhile scholars have noted the deeply unequal effects of the pandemic containment, there has been limited attempt to map the socio-political lives of vaccination policies, particularly from the perspective of undocumented persons moving at state margins. This paper explores how undocumented migrants, who were predominantly male travellers attempting to cross Italy's Alpine borders, encountered Covid-19 vaccines and contemporary legislation. Based on ethnographic observations and qualitative interviews with migrants, doctors, and activists at safehouses both on the Italian and French sides of the Alpine border, we trace how mobility centred decisions to accept or reject vaccines were significantly shaped by exclusionary border regimes. We move beyond the exceptional focus of the Covid-19 pandemic to show how centring visions of health connected to viral risk diverted attention from migrants’ wider struggles to move to obtain safety. Ultimately, we argue for a recognition of how health crises are not merely unequally experienced, but may result in the reconfiguration of violent governance practices at state borders.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623523000399Covid-19VaccinationMigrantsBordersMasculinitiesHealth Policy |
| spellingShingle | Costanza Torre Elizabeth Storer COVID-19 vaccines, mobility, and pandemic bureaucracies: Undocumented migrants’ perspectives from Italy's Alpine border Journal of Migration and Health Covid-19 Vaccination Migrants Borders Masculinities Health Policy |
| title | COVID-19 vaccines, mobility, and pandemic bureaucracies: Undocumented migrants’ perspectives from Italy's Alpine border |
| title_full | COVID-19 vaccines, mobility, and pandemic bureaucracies: Undocumented migrants’ perspectives from Italy's Alpine border |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 vaccines, mobility, and pandemic bureaucracies: Undocumented migrants’ perspectives from Italy's Alpine border |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 vaccines, mobility, and pandemic bureaucracies: Undocumented migrants’ perspectives from Italy's Alpine border |
| title_short | COVID-19 vaccines, mobility, and pandemic bureaucracies: Undocumented migrants’ perspectives from Italy's Alpine border |
| title_sort | covid 19 vaccines mobility and pandemic bureaucracies undocumented migrants perspectives from italy s alpine border |
| topic | Covid-19 Vaccination Migrants Borders Masculinities Health Policy |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666623523000399 |
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