The field of border control in Mauritania

Abstract

Recent work on borders has tended to overlook border control actors, practices and rationalities in West Africa. States in this region are considered origin and transit countries for irregular migration, and the Sahel region that they straddle is widely seen as an emerging haven of terrorist activity. This article discusses one response to these migration and terrorism threats by the Islamic Republic of Mauritania: a programmme to build new border posts with help from global partners that include the European Union and the International Organization for Migration. The article builds on Bourdieusian approaches in critical security studies, but draws on concepts from actor-network theory to account for the heterogeneity of border control actors and the mobility of different knowledges about how to control borders. Drawing on ethnographic research in Mauritania, the article discusses four ‘actants’ of border security: the border posts, the landscape, the biometric entry–exit system and training practices. Throughout, the article highlights field dynamics of competition, cooperation and pedagogy, also emphasizing the role of non-human agency. The article concludes with a reflection on the link between border control and statebuilding, suggesting that this fusion is a broader paradigm of security provision in the global South.

Europe's failed ‘fight’ against irregular migration: ethnographic notes on a counterproductive industry

“…In West Africa, a gift economy has in addition been developed with local security forces, involving the transfer of border policing tools as well as extra pay for patrolling migration. Other organisations and states have run parallel initiatives, with the IOM and the EU financing new border posts and control machinery in Mali and Mauritania (Andersson 2014;Frowd 2014). In Morocco, more wellresourced, close border policing cooperation with Spain involves monthly joint patrols and regular high-level meetings.…”

Who speaks for the European border security industry? A network analysis

“…The novel application of social network analysis opens up new avenues for research on the security industry. With security technologies being bought and sold globally, we can research the network structure, discourses, and effects of actors operating in alternative contexts, as in the case of Mauritania (Frowd 2014).…”

Mapping Illegality: The i‐Map and the Cartopolitics of “Migration Management” at a Distance

“…Ethnographic readings of EU external bordering processes are still rare, with the exception of works in West-African territories (e.g. Andersson 2014;Frowd et al 2014) and North Africa (Collyer and King 2015; Cuttitta 2018; Garelli and Tazzioli 2017). This piece is inspired by this detailed attention to bordering practices themselves, focusing on the praxis of mapping migratory itineraries.…”

“…Andersson ; Frowd et al. ) and North Africa (Collyer and King ; Cuttitta ; Garelli and Tazzioli ). This piece is inspired by this detailed attention to bordering practices themselves, focusing on the praxis of mapping migratory itineraries.…”