An ethnographic nautical travel across Tunisia. A new mission with Tanimar

Within the framework of the MOBS research project, onboard of Tanimar, a research unit composed by Jacopo Anderlini (UniPR), Ivan Bonnin (UniGe), Enrico Fravega (UniGE), Dorra Frihi (UniPR), Luca Giliberti (UniPR), Anto Milotta (UniGE), Vincenza Pellegrino (UniPR), Luca Queirolo Palmas (UniGE), will carry out an ethnographic journey along the Tunisian coast, with the aim of studying the transformations of the Mediterranean economy, with particular attention to the fishing and tourism sectors.

Following a similar mission carried out last year in some central Mediterranean islands (Pantelleria, Lampedusa, Linosa and Malta), which has led to the publication of “Crocevia Mediterraneo” (Eleuthera), as well as an ongoing ethnographic work on fishermen of Mazara del Vallo, which took place in July of this year, researchers engaged in this mission will stopover in many Tunisian port, such as Monastir, Madhia, Sfax, Zarzis and the Kerkenna islands, to understand the commonalities and the differences between the processes of social transformation that are affecting the two shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

In this framework, with the aim of developing a sociological perspective that goes beyond the national dimension, facilitating the development of a sociological perpsective capable of embracing the overall transformations of the Mediterranean space, particular attention will be dedicated to the sustainability of fishing activities, to the impacts of climate change and the consequences that these processes deliver on the local communities living on the coast. The mission will start on September 30th and will last at least two weeks.

As part of the same mission, researchers involved will animate the debates at the Sabir Festival, which will be held in the cities of Messina (Italy), from Septembrer 30 to October 1, and Sfax (Tunisia), 9-10 October.