The cycle “Belonging in/to the Mediterranean”, of Iméra’s Mediterreanean research programme, delves into the diverse dimensions of individual and collective belonging within and to the Mediterranean, as well as those of non-belonging.
Copyright: Marie-Pierre Ulloa, Iméra.
Examining the concept of belonging
In 2024, we examined this concept through affective, anthropological, cultural, emotional, historical, legal, ontological, religious, social, and geopolitical lenses. Researchers exploring the Mediterranean are placing growing emphasis on the idea of belonging, examining how a sense of place and identity has reshaped the history of the region over time.
In contrast, the recent surge in migration across the Mediterranean has prompted a critical reevaluation of traditional geographical notions, giving rise to new forms of belonging and territorial hybrid identity that have emerged from the experience of displacement but also shedding light on the Mediterranean, the sea connecting shores, as a “non-place” in the sense defined by anthropologist Marc Augé (1935-2023) and as a place of temporary belonging offshore or in transit in the port-cities.
Exploring belonging in greater depth through the arts, social sciences and humanities
In 2025, we aim to continue to explore these belonging narratives through the lenses of the arts, the social sciences and the humanities. This includes perspectives from archeology, architecture, geography, history, gender studies, sociology, literature, cultural heritage studies, as well as critical ocean studies, film studies, urban studies, environmental humanities, human rights and migration studies.
Additionally, we seek to examine how the stories we’ve been told about the Mediterranean in different settings and temporalities have shaped our perceptions of these places and their rich and diverse cultures, in colonial and post-independence encounters and with decolonial perspectives.
This inquiry is particularly pressing as issues such as the rise of populism, of migration and mass tourism, the search for sustainable ways to travel, evolving notions of spatial planning and social justice, environmental narratives past and present, continue to shape the dynamics of Mediterranean belonging now in the age of ArtificiaI Intelligence.
Current publication has also shed light on how environmental, urban, rural, maritime and spatial connections can both unite and divide communities throughout the Mediterranean. This exploration is especially relevant in an era profoundly influenced by wars, conflicts and political instability, and by climate change and global warming as these factors exacerbate existing tensions and shift priorities. By examining these dynamics, we aim to deepen our understanding of how belonging is socially constructed, legally and politically contested in this complex region, whether at the level of individual identities or collective belongings.