Sex Workers as Agitators: A Socio-Historical Analysis of Sex Work and Migration in Italy, 1990s-2020s

Objective

SWAG addresses a critical gap in migration and sex work research by analyzing how laws, public discourses, and EU policies affect the experiences and political agency of migrant sex workers. Focusing on Italy (1990-2020s) as a key entry point to Europe, this project shows how changes in migration law and morality politics have reshaped sex markets and influenced public and political debates in Italy. Italy is a critical case because it shifted rapidly from having no immigration law (1990) to criminalizing “illegal entry and stay” (2008), anticipating developments and trends that have since affected many EU member states. The project has three goals: O1: Analyse how changes in Italian immigration and criminal law have affected sex markets and migrant workers; O2: Build a framework to understand how morality politics and dominant narratives on sex work and migration influence public debate and policymaking; O3: Work directly with sex workers and stakeholders through participatory workshops to co-produce a white paper with policy recommendations for Italy and the EU. By treating sex workers as knowledge-producers rather than research subjects, SWAG challenges the systematic undervaluing of their perspectives in both scholarship and policymaking. Therefore, the project will generate evidence for more inclusive European social policies while advancing participatory research methods. For the researcher, SWAG provides advanced training in socio-historical analysis, participatory design, and policy engagement, building a unique profile at the crossroads of critical migration studies and public policy. The collaboration with the host institution (UNIPR), the University of Essex (academic secondment), and MiT (intersectoral secondment) ensures both academic excellence and real-world policy impact.