Identification and Citizenship in Africa: Biometrics, the Documentary State and Bureaucratic Writings of the Self

This book explores the processes of legal identification in Africa, highlighting the social and political embedding of legal identities and the resilience of the documentary state. It documents the processes, practices, and meanings of legal identification from the 1950s to the biometric boom, demonstrating how analyzing the social uses of IDs and tools of identification can give a fresh account of the state at work, citizenship practices, and bureaucracy.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 374 pages
\n Publication date: 29 April 2021
\n Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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In the backdrop of a sweeping biometric transformation, this insightful work delves into the intricate processes of legal identification in Africa, shedding light on their profound implications for the citizen-state relationship. It emerges that, alarmingly, nearly half of the African continent's population lacks a formal legal identity, prompting many states to embrace biometric technology as a promising solution. However, this book unveils a startling truth: biometrics, rather than ensuring identity security and mitigating fraud or political distrust, can inadvertently contribute to reinforcing exclusion and fueling divisive debates on citizenship and national belonging. It underscores the deep social and political entrenchment of legal identities, as well as the remarkable resilience of the documentary state. Through extensive empirical research spanning 14 countries, the book meticulously documents the evolution, practices, and meanings of legal identification in Africa, from the 1950s to the era of the biometric boom. It goes beyond the traditional binary of surveillance versus recognition, unveiling a nuanced understanding of the state's actions, citizenship practices, and the role of bureaucracy in shaping individuals' self-identity within African societies. This groundbreaking work will serve as a vital resource for students, scholars, and researchers in the fields of African studies, politics, human security, anthropology, and the sociology of the state. Its comprehensive analysis and rich insights offer valuable perspectives on the complex dynamics shaping legal identification and its profound impact on the lives of individuals and communities across the African continent.

\n Weight: 732g\n
Dimension: 161 x 241 x 29 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780367513085\n \n