Paper short abstract:

On the example of young Sahrawis migrating to Spain, the paper describes both the structural difficulties, uncertainties and constraints of the migration regime and those resulting from the inequality and racism of the host society, as well as the agency of individuals and their relatives.

Paper long abstract:

Young Sahrawis born in refugee camps (Tindouf, Algeria) take part in numerous international mobility projects. For some of them, the journey lasts only two summer months (Vacaciones en Paz project), for others - several years of separation from family due to the possibility of continuing their education abroad.

In the paper, I would like to describe the story of several young Sahrawis who, although they came to Spain for a holiday project, for various reasons have remained there until now, several years later. The main axis of the analysis will be the concept of agency as proposed by Sherry Ortner, which makes it possible to describe both the structural difficulties, uncertainties and constraints of the migration regime and those resulting from the inequality and racism of the host society, as well as the agency of individuals and their relatives. An analysis of the dialectical relationship between structural constraints and people's practices as social actors is a way to access the human experience and allows us to understand the limitations affecting subjects, the transformation and creation of structures, and people's attempts to escape or change the existing order.

The paper is based on ethnographic research conducted in Spain (2019, 2021-2022) and Algeria (2022-2023) with the migrating Sahrawis living in Spain and non-migrant Sahrawis living in the refugee camps near Tindouf, Algeria. The interviews are based on the biographical research method, which gives the study an important element of longitudinal analysis.