Refugees’ loss of self-determination in UNHCR operations through the gaining of identity in blockchain technology

The case of rWallet: A blockchain-based tool to navigate some challenges related to irregular migration

“…This project provides a Blockchain-based tool that allows strict monitoring of medicines throughout the supply chain, making it possible to systematically detect the loss or theft of medicines, and even to detect counterfeit medicines, offering advantages to both beneficiaries and pharmaceutical companies. Building Blocks blockchain (Pakistan and Jordan) (Franke, 2020;Kshetri & Voas, 2018) An Ethereum system-based initiative, promoted by the World Food Program for Syrian refugees. It allows people to participate in the creation and management of their identification data, controlling access to it through biometric methods.…”

“…When a new migrant arrives at a "welcome center", they are de facto deprived of a legal status and they are therefore extremely vulnerable, at this time individuals may face hostilities with other members of the community, this may occur even within a family nucleus, also, they are exposed to the opinions of local citizens and the local government. During the journey, many immigrants have lost the documents that allow them to identify themselves, often they themselves decide to voluntarily "de-identify", getting rid of all traditional identifiers as a measure of protection and to avoid being attacked, captured or deported to their origin countries (Franke, 2020). It is known that traditional physical identity authentication methods have well-identified limits, since they can be easily modified, stolen, lost, or falsified (Lemieux, 2017).…”

“…It is known that traditional physical identity authentication methods have well-identified limits, since they can be easily modified, stolen, lost, or falsified (Lemieux, 2017). The difficulties in the context of people in an irregular situation have led people to mistrust the conditions that may be proposed by the social assistance and protection services, reaching a negative opinion of certain initiatives such as, the allocation of an identity document (Franke, 2020). Historically, this situation has caused difficulties in identifying people in an irregular administrative situation and which data is accurate.…”

“…Once the immigrant in the welcome center has obtained their digital identification, rWallet will serve as a tool to face the challenge of precariousness and immobility, offer economic benefits or basic supplies to vulnerable people through forms or ration cards have shown be inefficient mechanisms and prone to malpractice and counterfeiting (Franke, 2020). But for a long time, they have been the only available alternatives to offer social assistance.…”

‘Request Denied’: Some Elements of a Sociology of Translation and Treason for Border and Migration Studies

“…Since traditional means of rendering individual subjects as well as entire populations identifiable and knowable such as slave branding, censuses, files, government registers, passports and ID cards have been complemented (and partly replaced) by a range of innovative technologies like biometric databases, electronic ID-cards, blockchain-secured digital identity wallets, DNA-testing or algorithmic profiling this line of inquiry has received renewed interest (e.g. Ansorge 2016;Cheesman 2020;Franke 2020;Jacobsen 2015;Leese 2020;Madianou 2019;Netz 2020;Olwig et al 2020;Scheel 2019). Within this line of research, numerous studies mobilise an ANT-inspired framework to move beyond a representationalist mode of critique of authorities' efforts to create legible subjects (e.g.…”