Migrants are often presented as a ‘problem’ to be fixed through restrictive and technologically advanced border regimes, and criminalised through surveillance and public discourse online. But technology can also give migrants the chance to advocate for change and foster solidarity. This workshop will explore current developments at the intersection of technology, borders and human mobility to understand the processes and implications of bordering at the micro-, meso- and macro-level.
Migration has always been presented as a contested issue, especially so in particular political discourses. This has led to stricter immigration and border regimes that often racialize migrants, while presenting them as a ‘problem’ to be fixed through restrictive and technologically advanced border regimes. Rapid technological developments have transformed processes of bordering and created an integrated border management ecosystem. Opaqueness of technological systems and their operation translates into unclear and dangerous implications regarding the human rights and liberties of people on the move.
Borders today are not merely physical barriers; rather they are complex constructs that manifest in physical, symbolic, and virtual spaces. Technology is utilised in the shaping of migration pathways and facilitating surveillance practises and the criminalisation of migrants. This occurs both within systemic frameworks and in public discourse, particularly through platforms like social media, providing a fertile ground for the rise of extremist ideologies, both across the physical and digital spaces. Technology, however, can also act as a platform for resistance, providing opportunities for migrants to advocate for change and foster solidarity. The interplay of different forms (physical-geographical, temporal, symbolic-media, virtual) and various scales of bordering processes (international, regional, local, everyday etc) exacerbate exclusion, halts mobility (for some, while facilitates it for others) as part of racial capitalism and colonial systems.
This workshop aims to explore current developments in the intersection of technology, borders, and human mobility to provide macro-meso-microlevel understandings of the processes and implications of bordering across levels and scales. Exploring these issues through the lenses of technological advancements provides an original and innovative take on this very important topic. Understanding and addressing the dual role of technology is vital if we seek to dismantle systemic injustices while fostering inclusive and equitable societies. This is why, we invite participants to engage in discussions that explore the following themes:
ORGANISERS
Dr Venetia Evergeti, Sociology, University of Surrey
Dr Maria-Nerina Boursinou, Sociology, University of Surrey
Dr Christina Verousi, Department of Social Sciences, Northumbria University
Registration details will be available soon.
Deadline for Abstracts: 7 March 2025.
Notification of Outcome: 21 March 2025.
Deadline to submit poster image (successful candidates only): 19 April 2025.
Call for Papers
Migration has always been presented as a contested issue, especially so in particular political discourses that often racialize migrants, while presenting them as ‘problem’ to be managed through stricter immigration and border regimes.
Contemporary understandings of borders extend beyond their territorial manifestations, comprising complex constructs that materialise in physical, symbolic, and virtual spaces. The interplay of different forms (physical-geographical, temporal, symbolic-media, virtual) and various scales of bordering processes (international, regional, local, everyday etc.) exacerbate exclusion, halts mobility (for some, while facilitates it for others) as part of racial capitalism and colonial systems.
This occurs both within systemic frameworks and in public discourse, particularly through platforms like social media, providing a fertile ground for the rise of extremist ideologies, across the physical and digital spaces. Advanced technological developments have transformed processes of bordering and created interoperable, ‘smart’ border infrastructures and omnipresent border ecosystems, with onerous implications on the human rights and liberties of people on the move. Hand-in-hand with operations on the ground, technology is utilised in the shaping of migration pathways, the proliferation of surveillance and the criminalisation of migrants and migrant solidarity alike.
Against this backdrop, technology, digital media and platforms have proved means of resistance too, fostering spaces of hope and solidarities and highlighting migrant-led struggles for racial and social justice.
As our modern world seems to become ‘smaller’, and conservative, reactionary and far-right ideologies threaten to push communities further into the margins, we ask:
How can technology be used to escape, challenge, unmake and eventually obliterate borders?
This conference aims to explore current developments in the intersection of technology, borders, and human mobility to provide macro-meso-microlevel understandings of the processes and implications of un/bordering across levels and scales. Understanding and addressing the role of technology is vital if we seek to dismantle systemic injustices while fostering inclusive and equitable societies. This is why, we invite academics, activists, artists and people with experiences of migration, to engage in discussions that explore the following themes (list is not exhaustive):
We invite participants to submit a poster presentation covering the main aspects of their research. Posters will be presented as a visual display both online and at thein-person conference and contributors will be invited to do a 10’ presentation of their board and discuss their work in more detail. Our aim is to facilitate discussions on the diverse research areas we explore and highlight the intersections across our various fields and themes.
The poster presentations will be followed by a roundtable discussion on key themes and ways of moving forward in establishing an international network of researchers from multiple disciplines and at different career stages.
Poster Requirements: