This thesis examines the material and political conditions of undocumentedness, focusing on how design practices shape and are shaped by the experiences of undocumented migrants. The author analyzes three regimes of practice—passporting, camp-making, and border-working—exploring how passports, camps, and borders function as material articulations of power. Through case studies and design interventions, the research critiques existing design approaches (interaction, critical, participatory, and humanitarian design) while proposing "design-politics" as a framework for understanding the political agency of design. The author utilizes personal accounts and theoretical analysis to expose the complexities of mobility, illegality, and the ethics of research involving vulnerable populations. Ultimately, the work advocates for counter-practices that challenge established power structures and offer alternative possibilities for those marginalized by border regimes.

Please note that the podcast covers key points from the source with synthetic voices, which may have glitches. It’s a reflective, not comprehensive, interpretation.

Keshavarz, Mahmoud. Design-Politics An Inquiry into Passports, Camps and Borders. University of Malmö Press, 2016.

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