Eighteenth International Conference on Technology, Knowledge, and Society

Abstract

The last decade has seen an explosion of surveillance technology and tech securitization in the world’s borderlands. This study looks at the current practices of migration tech securitization used by governments, the private sector, and NGOs in response to increasing numbers of people on the move due to war, persecution, natural disasters, and climate change. Governments and the private sector use these crises as sandboxes to test invasive and oppressive surveillance equipment and other security technology away from the public eye. Specifically, the study focuses on the U.S./Mexico border, the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan, and the English Channel border area. These practices create serious mental and physical health challenges for refugees and migrants. They often result in violated rights and an increase in profits for organized crime groups taking advantage of people’s desperation. The research mixes empirical and interpretive methodologies informed by direct observation in the English Channel border area and through primary sources on Azraq Refugee Camp and the U.S. Mexico border. I include a feature-length documentary using this research and present a 10-15 minute long visual essay in the session.