The Fat is in the Fire: Migration as a Diplomatic Tool within Libya and Tunisia
Summary
The Central Mediterranean route mainly from Libya and Tunisia to Italy and Malta is the
deadliest migratory route. Not only do many migrants and refugees pass away through their
efforts to reach EU shores, but also with regards to their hosting in the North African
countries many dangers await their fate. These dangers include arbitrary detention and
inhumane conditions in detention centres in Tunisia, and possible violence, starvation, torture,
rape and even slavery in Libya. Evidently, the refugee and migrant populations in both
countries have a lack of protection and rights. Thus, in this thesis, it will be investigated how
the development of migration and asylum policy in both countries after the Arab Spring can
be explained. Through historical and causal narrative, it will be demonstrated that migration
and asylum policy within both countries has followed a path-dependent trajectory. Whereas
the Arab Spring and subsequent political transition in both countries could have pushed the
countries to establish a new form of migration management. It will be demonstrated that due
to political polarization the practice of the dictatorial regimes in which migration was used as
a diplomatic tool was reinforced. Through the analysis of migration and asylum policy both
before and after the Arab Spring the study aims at filling the historiographic gap with regards
to migration and asylum policy, as well as offer an explanation for the neglect of refugees and
migrants within both countries which could lead to possible prevention.