Invisible Borders: the Tech and Violence of Fortress Europe

In this episode we will look at the current policies governing border surveillance and what risks and protections they bear. We will discuss how the policies have changed over time and how they have enabled the expansion of border surveillance by EU member states, candidate countries, and EU agencies. What policies are currently on the table? And what kind of regulation exists that can protect the fundamental rights of people directly affected?

Part 1 of surveillance for detection - how are technologies used along physical border lines?Using the territories of Bulgaria & Serbia as case studies, we look at the interwoven roles of surveillance technologies and European border management practices at both the EU’s external border and non-EU borders of ‘third countries’. In this episode we try to answer the question of how and which technologies get to borders? How much is being spent? And who is spending the money?By analysing patterns of externalising border management, alongside how technologies are being used and tested on vulnerable populations - we see how this fits into a wider imperial understanding of European border management practices.

Part 2 of surveillance for detection - how are technologies used along physical border lines?In this episode we begin by looking at the role of the IOM as a stakeholder in tech assisted border violence, understanding their complicity & hypocrisy, and ask; what is the legacy of EU horizon projects in the Balkans?We identify some of the companies who are profiting from the militarisation of borders, how a border industrial complex has developed in Europe, and how this intersects with facilitators of the ongoing genocide in Gaza.By looking at the practicalities of border management practices on the ground alongside the landscapes of borders themselves - we try to understand both what deterrence looks like as a crucial factor within border management, and the role of surveillance technologies within this.

Surveillance isn’t just about monitoring and controlling movement—it also continues once people on the move reach EU countries. What systems are in place? How do they impact the lives of those affected? And what is the broader logic behind this extensive surveillance network?In this episode, we explore these questions through research conducted in Greece. Following the story of the fictional character Rami, we trace his journey from Samos to mainland Greece, revealing how surveillance shapes life in reception and detention facilities.

In this episode, we look at the opaque use of biometric surveillance technologies in North Macedonia and Serbia, two key countries along the so-called Balkan Route. States are increasingly using biometric data, such as fingerprints and iris scans, to identify and categorise people on the move under the guise of enhancing security. However, these practices raise serious concerns about potential human rights violations and the surveillance of vulnerable populations.