Unaccompanied Childhood and Youth on Hold: Resisting Liminality and Bureaucratic Traps in the Mediterranean Regime

This paper explores the administrative entrapment and liminal states that unaccompanied children and youth face within the Mediterranean migration regime. Through an interdisciplinary approach, it investigates how institutional, legal, and bureaucratic hurdles create conditions of prolonged uncertainty, exclusion, and vulnerability for these marginalized groups. Drawing on documentary analysis and empirical data from case studies in Italy and Spain, the research highlights the systemic issues within migration frameworks that exacerbate social limbo, directly affecting the long-term integration, mental health, and overall well-being of unaccompanied children and adolescents.

The analysis delves into key themes such as the racialization of administrative requirements, where bureaucratic processes disproportionately impact racialized and migrant groups. It examines the personal and social costs of prolonged limbo, including psychological stress, limited access to fundamental rights like education and healthcare, and the enduring uncertainty surrounding legal status and future prospects. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the crucial role of child and youth agency in resisting these imposed conditions, showcasing how young migrants develop strategies to navigate and challenge the institutional barriers they face.

By offering a comparative perspective between Italy and Spain, the paper identifies both best practices and significant gaps in policy implementation, providing a detailed understanding of how administrative limbo manifests in different national contexts. Ultimately, this work contributes to broader debates on trust in institutions and the unequal distribution of administrative liminality across different social groups. It also offers concrete recommendations for reforming legal frameworks and migration policies in the EU to alleviate the institutional entrapment faced by unaccompanied children and adolescents, fostering a more inclusive and equitable system of integration across the Mediterranean region, with the potential to extend these reforms throughout Europe.