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Gatekeeping as Leverage: Morocco Strategic Agency in European Union Migration Management
This thesis examines how Morocco has leveraged migration as an instrument in its relation with the European Union (EU). Following the Arab Spring, Morocco has utilized this opportunity to implement its own agenda and bargain with the EU on prevention tactics for irregular migration. I argue that coo...
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AUC Knowledge Fountain
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613433961119744 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | ElKady, Nadine Omar |
| author_browse | ElKady, Nadine Omar |
| author_facet | ElKady, Nadine Omar |
| author_sort | ElKady, Nadine Omar |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | This thesis examines how Morocco has leveraged migration as an instrument in its relation with the European Union (EU). Following the Arab Spring, Morocco has utilized this opportunity to implement its own agenda and bargain with the EU on prevention tactics for irregular migration. I argue that cooperation for migration management between the EU and Morocco is built on bargaining processes and tactics from Morocco, which has shifted power dynamics from being merely a passive actor to a key player. Morocco's cooperation reflects calculated bargaining strategies rather than a response to the EU pressure. The research utilizes qualitative methodology, combining document analysis of Morocco’s agreements with the EU and documents from international organizations. By using process tracing to map causal linkages, Morocco’s tactical cooperation and the EU concessions are examined. In addition, the research employs rationalist theory to track Morocco’s cost benefit analysis and strategic interdependence, as well as its ability to exploit asymmetrical power dynamics, transforming migration from a policy challenge into a diplomatic asset. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:fount.aucegypt.edu:etds-3830 |
| institution | American University in Cairo (Egypt) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:36:04.810Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from AUC Knowledge Fountain — bepress |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | AUC Knowledge Fountain |
| publisherStr | AUC Knowledge Fountain |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | AUC Knowledge Fountain — bepress |
| spelling | oai:fount.aucegypt.edu:etds-3830 Gatekeeping as Leverage: Morocco Strategic Agency in European Union Migration Management ElKady, Nadine Omar This thesis examines how Morocco has leveraged migration as an instrument in its relation with the European Union (EU). Following the Arab Spring, Morocco has utilized this opportunity to implement its own agenda and bargain with the EU on prevention tactics for irregular migration. I argue that cooperation for migration management between the EU and Morocco is built on bargaining processes and tactics from Morocco, which has shifted power dynamics from being merely a passive actor to a key player. Morocco's cooperation reflects calculated bargaining strategies rather than a response to the EU pressure. The research utilizes qualitative methodology, combining document analysis of Morocco’s agreements with the EU and documents from international organizations. By using process tracing to map causal linkages, Morocco’s tactical cooperation and the EU concessions are examined. In addition, the research employs rationalist theory to track Morocco’s cost benefit analysis and strategic interdependence, as well as its ability to exploit asymmetrical power dynamics, transforming migration from a policy challenge into a diplomatic asset. 2026-06-11T07:00:00Z thesis application/pdf https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/2769 https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/3830/viewcontent/Nadine_Omar_ElKady_Thesis.pdf Theses and Dissertations AUC Knowledge Fountain Morocco-EU Relations Migration Diplomacy Bargaining Power Power Dynamics Rationalist Theory |
| spellingShingle | Morocco-EU Relations Migration Diplomacy Bargaining Power Power Dynamics Rationalist Theory ElKady, Nadine Omar Gatekeeping as Leverage: Morocco Strategic Agency in European Union Migration Management |
| title | Gatekeeping as Leverage: Morocco Strategic Agency in European Union Migration Management |
| title_full | Gatekeeping as Leverage: Morocco Strategic Agency in European Union Migration Management |
| title_fullStr | Gatekeeping as Leverage: Morocco Strategic Agency in European Union Migration Management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gatekeeping as Leverage: Morocco Strategic Agency in European Union Migration Management |
| title_short | Gatekeeping as Leverage: Morocco Strategic Agency in European Union Migration Management |
| title_sort | gatekeeping as leverage morocco strategic agency in european union migration management |
| topic | Morocco-EU Relations Migration Diplomacy Bargaining Power Power Dynamics Rationalist Theory |
| url | https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/2769 https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/3830/viewcontent/Nadine_Omar_ElKady_Thesis.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elkadynadineomar gatekeepingasleveragemoroccostrategicagencyineuropeanunionmigrationmanagement |