As a result of the increasingly politicized nature of borders and migration, border regions have become the focus of significant conflict and activism across the political spectrum. This project, entitled Constellation of truths: Mapping (un)civil society’s knowledge production in diverse border regions, explores the role of discourse and truths in the activism of (un)civil society actors in contentious border regions. By examining the epistemic struggles and everyday experiences of (un)civil society actors involved in shaping the discourse around borders and migration, our project seeks to address gaps in our understanding of border politics, and to challenge state-centric, colonial narratives surrounding borders.

This project applies the novel framework Constellation of Truths to a study guided by the question: in a world increasingly marred by contested truths and populist imaginaries, how are (un)civil society actors engaging in the discursive construction of border politics?

This project is led by Drs. Emma Swan and Maria Sigridur Finnsdottir, along with their collaborators Jules Soupault, Dr. Helga Hallgrimsdottir, and Dr. Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly.

The Constellation of Truths project is funded by a SSHRC Insight Development grant through fall 2027.