The stories of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe have made the headlines in the news over the last twenty years. How have these human itineraries been represented in contemporary culture? This book considers the migrants story as portrayed in literature, cinema, museums and festivals in Italy and France, in order to explore the widespread ethical complexities related to agency and advocacy. While typically produced in support of migrant communities, these narratives often confine the experience of displaced individuals within a Eurocentric, humanitarian discourse that is difficult to overcome. Through an interdisciplinary and postcolonial approach, the book analyses, among others, recent works by Laurent Gaudé and Emanuele Crialese, the Musée National de lHistoire de lImmigration in Paris and a community festival in Lampedusa, to highlight the complexity of advocating for migrants from a European perspective.

Caterina Scarabicchi is an independent researcher in Cultural Studies based in Italy. She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature and Culture from Royal Holloway, University of London.