Migration, racism and wasted lives: considerations on the refugee problem at the european level and in Portugal

Abstract

This article aims to contribute to an interpretation of the migratory processes of recent decades by confronting various socio-economic explanatory theories. It also addresses the racial discrimination suffered by immigrants and refugees in the European Union and Portugal, providing a socio-historical perspective on racism and the processes of discrimination, integration, and inclusion. Finally, this work seeks to problematize current refugee reception policies in Portugal by analysing documents such as the 2nd Plan for the Integration of Immigrants, approved in 2010 by the Portuguese government, and the most recent strategic plan for migration implemented by the High Commission for Migration between 2015 and 2021.