Trajectories, insecurities, and liminality in the post-Dublin Europe. A case study between Amsterdam and Bologna

Abstract

This research aims to contribute to the debate on return and repatriation by exploring the case study of the insecurities created by the III Dublin Regulation in the European Union. The study outlines the different conceptualisations of voluntary return and repatriation articulated by institutional actors and NGOs in Amsterdam and in Bologna. Additionally, the research explores the im/mobilisation practices and the challenges institutional actors face in protecting LGBT+ Dublin claimants and asylum seekers in the Dutch and Italian contexts. The research is multi-sited, conducted with the support of fieldwork and semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest, in the Dutch context, that the alignment with the government’s agenda of sustainable return is highly dependent on the economic and political ties of the institutions with the government. The institutional actors on the Italian side show a lower level of alignment or even extremely critical opinions of the idea he sustainable return. Most of the respondents are critical of the III Dublin Regulation. The findings outline analogous im/mobilisation practices and expose the flaws in the protection systems for sexual minorities, such as the lack of safe spaces and specialised professionals. Keywords: Voluntary return, Return, Repatriation, III Dublin Regulation, Insecurities, Institutional actors, Sexual minorities.