Architecture of Migration: The Dadaab Refugee Camps and Humanitarian Settlement

Environments associated with migration are often seen as provisional, lacking history and architecture. However, Anooradha Iyer Siddiqi's book Architecture of Migration reveals that refugee camps have aesthetic and material landscapes that reveal histories, futures, politics, and rhetorics. She identifies forces of colonial and humanitarian settlement and traces spatial and racial politics in the Dadaab refugee camps established in 1991 on the Kenya-Somalia border. By constructing a material and visual archive of Dadaab, Siddiqi challenges conceptualizations of refugee camps as sites of border transgression and placelessness and theorizes them as complex settlements, ecologies, and material archives created through histories of partition, sedentarization, domesticity, and migration.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 432 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2023
Publisher: Duke University Press

Migration often brings with it environments that are perceived as temporary, lacking both historical significance and architectural grandeur. However, as Anooradha Iyer Siddiqi highlights in her book, Architecture of Migration, the aesthetic and material landscapes of refugee camps, even though they may arise from emergency situations, hold within them rich narratives of history, futures, politics, and rhetorics. Through her meticulous exploration, Siddiqi identifies the forces of colonial and humanitarian settlement, tracing the spatial and racial politics that unfolded in the Dadaab refugee camps, which were established on the Kenya-Somalia border in 1991. These camps, initially a dense setting that manifests decades of architectural, planning, and design initiatives, also reveal a much older constructed environment that reflects its own ways of knowing.

Siddiqi goes beyond mere ahistorical representations of camps and their inhabitants by creating a comprehensive material and visual archive of Dadaab. Through this archive, she uncovers long migratory traditions embedded in the architecture, spatial practices, landscapes, and iconography of refugees and humanitarians. By challenging conceptualizations of refugee camps as sites of border transgression, criminality, and placelessness, Siddiqi instead theorizes them as complex settlements, ecologies, and material archives that have been shaped by histories of partition, sedentarization, domesticity, and migration.

In her book, Siddiqi delves into the intricate details of the Dadaab refugee camps, exploring their architectural designs, infrastructure, and community structures. She sheds light on the ways in which these camps have evolved over time, adapting to the changing needs and circumstances of their inhabitants. She also examines the role of architecture in shaping the experiences and identities of refugees, highlighting how it can provide a sense of belonging, stability, and resilience amidst the challenges of displacement.

Furthermore, Siddiqi explores the broader political and social implications of refugee camps, examining how they are often portrayed and represented in the media and popular culture. She challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about refugees, highlighting their contributions to society and their resilience in the face of adversity. Through her work, Siddiqi seeks to promote a more nuanced and empathetic understanding of refugee camps and their inhabitants, advocating for their rights and dignity and highlighting the importance of supporting their sustainable settlement and integration into host communities.

Architecture of Migration is a groundbreaking work that offers a fresh perspective on the environments associated with migration. Through her meticulous research and insightful analysis, Siddiqi demonstrates the rich tapestry of histories, futures, politics, and rhetorics that unfold within these temporary settlements. Her book serves as a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the complexities of refugee life and the role of architecture in shaping their experiences. By challenging prevailing narratives and promoting a more inclusive and empathetic approach to migration, Siddiqi contributes to a more just and compassionate world.

Weight: 816g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478025245