A Battle of Perceptions: Morocco's Political and Social Conflict with Migration

The Kingdom of Morocco has slowly evolved from a country of emigration to a vital epicenter of migration activity in the 21st century. The country has become a burgeoning transition country to Europe as well as a popular destination country for migrants and refugees alike. This capstone project evaluates the treatment of refugees and migrants in Morocco; special attention is paid to the differences in treatment of sub-Saharan and Syrian refugees and migrants. Morocco lacks a comprehensive national system of asylum which has led to inconsistent enforcement, foreign interference, and human rights abuses of migrants and refugees. I argue that Syrian and Arab refugees and migrants have certain advantages on a societal level compared to sub-Saharan migrants and refugees due to a shared ethno-religious-linguistic identity.