“Getting to Europe” – Afghan Refugees, Urban Discourses and European Strategies in Patras
“Getting to Europe” – Afghan Refugees, Urban Discourses and European Strategies in Patras

Summary/Abstract: This contribution focuses on the urban context of the city of Patras in the northern Peloponnese and the migration phenomenon the city has been confronted with since the late 1990s. Because of its port, the city functions as one of the central gateways and transit points for “illegal” immigrants, nowadays predominantly from Afghanistan, who attempt to hide on a ferry travelling to an Italian port on their journey to “Europe”. In addition to describing the migrants’ and refugees’ situation, the focus is set on the various groups engaged in the discourse, such as the city administration, the port authorities, citizens, tourists and the media. Patras must be seen in the context of the border policy carried out by the European Union and the Greek state on the island of Lesbos, Chios and Samos, and various other places in Spain and Italy. Furthermore, the focus is on the different understandings and imaginations of the term “Europe” as it can be experienced in the statements of the refugees, the citizens, the port authorities, and the tourists.

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