Topological Atlas
A digital atlas project within the
transdisciplinary research project Topological Atlas. It is an attempt to map, analyse and reconsider the
narratives surrounding the construction of borders between Pakistan and
Europe and vice versa.
The project uses topology as a useful conceptual framework to develop a methodology for producing maps based
on interviews
conducted in the migration space. This research project raises
fundamental questions about the role of cartography.
It focuses on the way in which the border is constructed in terms of
the experiences of migrants coming from Pakistan to Europe (or from
Europe to Pakistan), not necessarily taking into account topography
and objects, but rather perceptions and the mental and cultural
barriers that make these migrations border crossings that are
continuous or constantly being pushed back. The border
is thus understood as an increasingly hostile landscape or
environment that people have to negotiate. By mobilising mapping
, spatial analysis and visualisation techniques, the aim is to
produce visual counter-geographies of geopolitical border regimes
from the perspective of undocumented migrants,
to construct representations that show how borders and border
regimes produce illegality.
As part of this project, Atelier Cartographique conceptualizes and builds, together with the research team, an online
mapping platform in which the content of the
interviews that were conducted by the researchers
is weaved together with the different materials from the field
survey (texts of the interviews in English, audio of the interviews
in the original language, handmade maps, etc.), and exposes multiple narratives. Therefore, our research questions and
transforms the codex into a tool
for navigating
through the information system.