Material Politics of Citizenship: Connecting Migrations with Science and Technology Studies

This book explores the relationships between technologies, infrastructures, and citizenship in migration and border regimes, highlighting the ways in which they can constrain or enable acts of citizenship. It emphasizes the need to critically examine the establishment of existing technologies and infrastructures to assess their impact on migrant subjects and broader populations.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 166 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the intricate interplay between citizenship, critical migration studies, and science and technology studies (STS) through a comprehensive examination of various case studies. It explores the configurations between technologies, infrastructures, and citizenship that either hinder or facilitate acts of citizenship in migration and border regimes. It also examines the contestation and participation over citizenship and the potential for alternative acts of citizenship to emerge within these contexts.

Technologies and infrastructures at the border are purposefully designed to place migrants in multifaceted and often conflicting positions. Migrants, in turn, have the ability to challenge and repurpose these technologies and infrastructures to align with their interests. By expanding on the concept of "material citizenship politics," the contributors offer a detailed analysis of socio-material practices on the border that goes beyond portraying migrants as mere victims of border technologies and migration infrastructures. This analysis centers on critiquing the practices from the perspective of the migrants themselves.

The chapters in this volume aim to set the research agenda for future studies in this field and to inspire further exploration of the (in)visibilities of migrant subjects in relation to technologies and infrastructures. In the context of the ongoing pandemic, which has exposed societal vulnerabilities, this book emphasizes the importance of critically reflecting on the establishment of existing technologies and infrastructures to assess their impact on migrant subjects, as well as their potential for extension and application to wider populations after being tested and normalized on vulnerable subjects.

This book will appeal to a wide readership across the social sciences, including scholars engaged in Critical Migration Studies and Border Studies. It provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics between technologies, infrastructures, and citizenship and offers valuable perspectives for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers alike.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032062303