The Impact of the Shrinking Space for Civil Society Actors Assisting People on the Move: A Focus on the Border Towns of Ventimiglia and Trieste

At the beginning of the 21st century, the international political landscape underwent profound changes characterized by a progressive erosion of democratic institutions and civic rights. Within this context, the space for action of Civil Society Actors (CSAs)- conceived in this study as a fundamental pillar in the defence and promotion of democracy and human rights- has been increasingly constrained. This thesis analyses the implications of the shrinking civic space trend for CSAs assisting People on the Move (PoM) in Italy, within a broader context of progressive criminalization of solidarity efforts. Accordingly, the research underscores the challenges faced by solidarians, examining the strategies deployed to constrain their operational space by institutional entities at the European and Italian levels, then shifting the focus to the two border towns of Ventimiglia and Trieste, paradigmatic of the broader national landscape. Furthermore, this paper investigates the practices perpetuated by media, anti-rights groups and private citizens which contribute to fostering a hostile environment against migrants and their supporters. The methodology employs a qualitative research method, encompassing reports, online interviews and seven semi-structured online surveys sent to different professional organizations and informal associations active in the two towns of interest. The findings reveal how the criminalization of solidarity and the progressive restrictions on the operational space of CSAs, active in the migration field, have had multifaceted and detrimental effects on their work and legitimacy, offering a valuable insight for future research. Keywords: Civil Society Actors, Civic Space, People on the Move, Shrinking Civic Space, Crime of Solidarity