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.