Negotiating borders and blame: social work with returnees in the shadow of the European Union

This article presents findings from a study that interrogated the experiences of social service providers who support return migrants in Kosova. Relying on a postcolonial framework and using critical discourse analysis, the study aimed to elucidate whether social workers who serve return migrants uphold their commitment to social justice. This focus responds to current literature suggesting that social workers often become part of a system that silences and marginalises return migrants. Indeed, findings corroborate existing literature, suggesting that social workers in Kosova are aware of the challenges faced by returnees, especially those who are forced to return. However, they also place the burden of repatriation on returnees themselves, ultimately blaming them for the challenges of repatriation. Challenging these discourses, the article argues that social workers need to build transnational solidarities to question current constructions of repatriation as voluntary and offer return migrants choices.