The Variegated Game of Border Crossing Along the Balkan Route

This article explores recent migration flows along the Balkan Route through the conceptual lens of “The Game,” a metaphor used by migrants to describe their border-crossing experiences. Employing a multi-level analytical approach, we examine the interplay between structural factors, social networks, and individual experiences that shape migration patterns and decisions. The concept of the “Variegated Game” along the “Balkan Route” captures the multiple facets of contemporary irregular border crossings, underscoring the continuum between autonomy and control, between solidarity and exploitation, and between risk and reward in contemporary irregular migration.