Negotiating Subversive Adaptation in Morocco: Navigating Borders, Migration Dynamics and Authoritarian Realities

Abstract Drawing on the framework of solidarity studies, this article examines how solidarity actors negotiate spaces for dissent under heightened repression in Morocco, where a stringent border regime operates within an authoritarian political landscape marked by pervasive surveillance and internal control. How do counter-border actors deal with internal repression? What strategies do they employ? Based on ethnographic participatory research and interviews, we examine how counter-border activists negotiate their space to challenge border regimes while operating within the confines of an authoritarian context. Rather than directly challenging the overarching authoritarian system, activists strategically focus on protesting about specific issues while acknowledging and navigating broader political contexts. We define this strategy as “subversive adaptation.” This research contributes to wider discussions on activism, authoritarianism, and border politics, underscoring the complexities of resistance within repressive regimes.