Mig.Pro. · Migrants’ protests: How the borders of citizenship are conceived, mobilized and constructed by migrants’ farm workers protests

Migrants’ protests: How the borders of citizenship are conceived, mobilized and constructed by migrants’ farm workers protests

Project Overview and Contextual Framework This research project explores the grassroots struggles of Migrant Agricultural Workers (MAWs) for fundamental human rights and dignified living and working conditions. By examining everyday forms of protest and mobilization in Canada and Italy, the study analyses both individual and collective practices of resistance. While existing international scholarship has documented a global trend toward super-exploitative practices in the agrarian sector, the specific agency, voices, and resistance strategies activated by MAWs and their allies remain under-researched. Canada and Italy serve as critical comparative contexts. Despite implementing policies to counter exploitation and support "vulnerable" workers, both nations continue to exhibit systemic labour abuses. In both countries, vibrant social movements led by or for MAWs advocate for legal status, housing, healthcare, and unionization, yet these efforts are frequently marginalized in mainstream literature. The distinct normative, economic, and political landscapes of these two nations provide illustrative cases for exploring how structural conditions intersect with social movements to expand rights for both migrant populations and the broader citizenry. Institutional recognition of these crises is significant. In 2023, the UN Special Rapporteur, Prof. Tomoya Obokata, characterized Canada’s temporary foreign worker programs as a “breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery.” Similarly, during a 2018 visit to Italy, the Rapporteur noted that labour exploitation is endemic to the agricultural sector, affecting a significant portion of the nearly 1.3 million workers, of whom over 400,000 are migrants. In Canada, the workforce is increasingly seasonal and concentrated in greenhouses, with temporary foreign workers numbering over 60,000 annually. Conversely, Italy’s 2021 estimates suggest a workforce of 900,000, with approximately 300,000 undocumented migrants facing extreme precarity. Resistance, Repression, and Solidarity Networks The urgency of this research is underscored by the frequent reports of workplace fatalities and severe exploitation. Over the last 30 years, numerous grassroots movements in both countries have mobilized to denounce these violations. However, these actions are often met with violence, state repression, or institutional indifference. Notable tragedies—such as the killing of trade unionist Soumaila Sacko (2018) and the deaths of Satnam Singh (2024) and Moussa Dembelé (2022) in Italy, or the deaths of Garvin Yapp (2022) and Lopez Chaparro (2020) in Canada—highlight the fatal consequences of systemic neglect. Furthermore, the expulsion of Jamaican workers in Ontario in 2023 following protests against substandard housing demonstrates the ongoing use of blackmail and deportation as tools of labour control. Support networks for MAWs comprise migrant-led associations, NGOs, human rights defenders, and research centres. A key finding of this project, particularly within the Italian context, is the urgent need for these networks to decolonize their approaches. Participants emphasized that for these coalitions to act as a unified subject, they must overcome environmental fragmentation and secure resources that empower migrant-led leadership. The goal is to move beyond mere assistance toward the direct enforceability of fundamental rights for all agricultural workers. Methodological Innovation and Strategic Impact Adopting a critical feminist standpoint, the project utilizes Situational Analysis (Canada) and Participatory Action Research (Italy) to bridge the gap between the study of super-exploitation and the documentation of migrant agency. Its originality lies in the integration of transdisciplinary lenses—Social Movement Studies, Citizenship and Migration Studies, Labor Studies, and Critical Feminist Studies. The project achieved five Specific Objectives (SO): 1. Advancing theoretical contributions to migration and labour studies through empirical findings. 2. Enriching academic discourse on the interactions between structure and agency regarding rights access. 3. Producing actionable knowledge for activists, stakeholders, and migrant organizations. 4. Implementing methodological innovations in comparative social research. 5. Formulating evidence-based policy recommendations. Contributions to the Political and Strategic Context This research aligns with the European Commission’s strategic goals and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically Goals 3 (Health and Well-being), 5 (Gender Equality), and 8 (Decent Work and the Eradication of Forced Labor). The social impact of the project is manifested in three primary dimensions: a) Challenging Narratives and Representational Spaces: The project opened critical spaces for reflection regarding the public narrative of MAWs. Too often, these workers are framed either as "essential" but invisible or as "passive victims." This research deconstructs these tropes by highlighting processes of racialization, stratification, and oppression, while simultaneously documenting the active resistance of workers. By framing these issues through European legal standards on living and working conditions, the project asserts that these are not just labour disputes but fundamental human rights crises. b) Methodological Engagement and Knowledge Co-production: Through participatory and decolonial methodologies, every interaction—from one-on-one interviews to workshops—served as a platform for collective analysis. This approach allowed for mapping existing challenges and identifying pathways for future rights claims. The project’s final policy recommendations are the direct result of this co-construction, refined through feedback from the scientific community and collaborative workshops with participants. c) The Recommendations as a Toolkit for Action: The resulting policy recommendations function as a practical toolkit for MAWs, stakeholders, and institutional authorities at local, national, and European levels. They prioritize specific areas of intervention, identifying the actors responsible for implementing change. Furthermore, the project places a significant emphasis on the health and economic impacts of "contested citizenship." It analyses how undocumented status creates barriers to healthcare and decent housing, providing a roadmap for policy interventions that prioritize human dignity over economic extraction. By integrating rigorous academic inquiry with a commitment to social transformation, this Marie Skłodowska-Curie action has fostered a deeper understanding of how the most marginalized workers in the European and North American food systems are not merely subjects of exploitation, but active agents of political change. Through its public dissemination activities, this work provides a foundational resource for future research and policy-making aimed at eradicating systemic racism and labour oppression in global agriculture.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union