At the roadside: migrants’ (in)visible mobilities at the Turkish-Greek land border

Drawing on field research conducted at the Meriç/Evros River between 2021 and 2024, this chapter examines the interactions between the border as a system of multilevel actors and power relations, and irregular-ised migrants attempting crossings. The ongoing militarisation of border control affects the (im)mobility and the (in)visibility of migrants in border zones. On the one hand, the hyper and dangerous clandestine circulations have cemented interrupted mobilities, the (in)visibility of which is a conditio sine qua non for evading controls. On the other hand, militarisation restricts the time and space available for movement, forcing stranded migrants to become visible at the border. After outlining the chapter’s contribution to literature on (im)mobility and (in)visibility in migration studies, the analysis considers: i) the impact of militarisation on migrants’ (im)mobility at the border, and ii) the effect of the border as a zone of hyper circulation on migrants’ (in)visibility to villagers and residents.