5th ISA Forum of Sociology (6-11 July 2025)

Morocco stands at the crossroads of various migration movements. Historically, the country experienced significant emigration to Europe after gaining independence, resulting in a Moroccan diaspora of nearly five million people. In recent decades, however, Morocco has increasingly become both a “transit” and a destination country for migrants from all over the world. Various studies highlight the complex migration history of Morocco, which is intertwined with its colonial and slavery past, alongside recent developments in Moroccan foreign policies.

While political sciences approaches have examined the changes in the Moroccan and international migration politics, socio-anthropological perspectives have focused more on the lifeworlds of migrants and how the different migration movements challenge social cohesion. Yet, there has been very little research done on the biographical trajectories of migrants in Morocco. Narratives of migrants are rarely considered. Thus, we know very little about individual trajectories, migration projects, personal reflection and strategies, and how these are situated within a broader social and transnational context.

This session aims to analyze the migration movements in Morocco from a biographical perspective. Migrant narratives offer insights into their worldview and agency, highlighting the challenges and opportunities they encounter throughout their journey. The biographical approach allows us to understand migration projects from an actor-centered approach embedded within the lives of individuals. Furthermore, adopting a narrative perspective within the Moroccan migration context shifts the focus from the dominant Western-centric narrative of migration as a “crisis” to be managed, enabling us to explore alternative narratives and give voice to more marginalized accounts.