Passport Entanglements: Protection, Care, and Precarious Migrations

Passport Entanglements explores the complexities of Indonesian aspal passports in Hong Kong, highlighting the political, historical, economic, global, and local factors that contribute to their existence and the challenges faced by migrant workers. It argues that biometric technologies imposed for passport renewal can reinforce violent structures on vulnerable women, rather than providing greater protection.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 260 pages
Publication date: 15 November 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

Passport Entanglements delves into the intricate web of political, historical, economic, global, and local factors that are intricately intertwined with the existence of Indonesian aspal or "real but fake" passports, which are carried by as many as a third of Indonesian migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. This captivating book unravels the complexities behind the Hong Kong Indonesian Consulates' attempts to regularize or "clean up" (pemutihan) these passports, which ultimately resulted in significant challenges for these migrant workers. While passports and other forms of documentation are often perceived as facilitating migration and providing protection and care for migrant workers, they can also serve as tools of surveillance, control, and exploitation.

In her insightful work, anthropologist Nicole Constable delves deep into the politics and inequalities embedded within passports. Drawing from ethnographic examples of migrant workers who have faced legal consequences for immigration fraud and those who have protested and resisted new passport policies, Constable explores how these instruments shape legal status and dictate rights. At the same time, she examines how renewal policies undermine these rights, creating new vulnerabilities and perpetuating old ones.

Contrary to prevailing global "best practices" concerning passports, Constable argues that the imposition of new biometric technologies does not necessarily lead to greater protection, security, or accuracy. Instead, it can reinforce violent structures on already vulnerable women by generating new vulnerabilities and reproducing old ones. This thought-provoking analysis challenges the conventional understanding of passports and sheds light on the complex dynamics that shape the lives of migrant workers in Hong Kong and beyond.

Passport Entanglements is a valuable contribution to the field of migration studies, offering a nuanced and empathetic understanding of the complexities surrounding passports and their impact on the lives of migrant workers. It is a must-read for scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the multifaceted challenges faced by migrants in today's globalized world.

Weight: 368g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520387997