Marxist Perspectives on Migration Between Autonomy and Hegemony: An Intervention for a Strategic Approach

This contribution represents a critical evaluation of Marxist perspectives on migration. It focuses especially on the so-called “autonomy of migration” approach, probably the most influential Marxist-inspired theory in the field of critical migration studies. Tracing its origins in Italian and German traditions of operaismo, we particularly take issue with its assumption of decentred world order, as well as its overt focus on the subjective capacity of migrants. Proposing a more complex perspective of structure and agency, we propose a Gramscian perspective on migration that considers the role of civil society alliances between migrants and those in solidarity with them.