Mobility as a Way of Life: Experiences of Young Male Migrants in Informal Housing in Paris

Abstract

Background
Young male migrants in Paris face significant housing insecurity, often residing in informal settlements such as squats and makeshift camps. Driven by increasing conflict, poverty, and strict legal restrictions, migrants aged eighteen to thirty-five are frequently barred from formal housing due to restrictive immigration policies, racial profiling, and a lack of affordable accommodation. Instead of finding safety and opportunities, they must navigate a tough urban environment characterised by uncertainty, frequent evictions, and psychosocial stress. While global inequalities and local exclusion influence their experiences, these young men also demonstrate new forms of resilience and solidarity in their daily lives.

Methodology

This research adopted a qualitative ethnographic approach, combining semi-structured interviews, participant observations, and field notes over two years from 2023 to 2025. A purposive sample of 30 young male migrants, primarily from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, was engaged across three key informal housing sites: Fender Squat, Canal Saint-Denis, and La Kunda. Participatory Forum Theatre workshops allowed migrants to collaboratively narrate and reflect on their strategies for coping with emotional, legal, and social pressure. Data were thematically analysed to capture both challenges and inventive survival tactics.

Results

The findings demonstrate that mobility is not simply a geographical movement but a necessary strategy for survival shaped by legal precarity, economic insecurity, and social exclusion. Migrants reported using social networks, both local and online, to secure housing, access work, and organise mutual aid in the face of adversity. While informal governance, such as shadow councils, and digital initiatives like the TikTok campaigns aided collective action, participants highlighted the substantial psychosomatic toll of persistent uncertainty and marginalisation. Barriers include legal obstacles, discrimination, health risks, and stigma, which together exacerbate vulnerability and limit access to support.

Conclusion
Mobility has become an adaptive way of life for young male migrants in Paris’ informal housing, oscillating between agency and constraints. Their lived experiences illustrate how structural exclusion generates both hardship and resistance to innovation. To address these realities, urban policies must prioritise inclusive, rights-based frameworks such as housing-first strategies, the co-design of local services, and targeted support for mental health and digital literacy. By recognising the agency and resilience of migrants, policymakers and practitioners can build more equitable and urban environments conducive to social inclusion and dignity.