In/visibility: exploring the representation and agency of borderscapes beyond the seen

Abstract

The article examines how visibility and invisibility intertwine in borderscapes, shaping them as sites of inclusion, exclusion, and negotiation. Drawing on the non-binary concept of ‘in/visibility’, it combines a literature review with fieldwork on the Swiss Italian border. It examines in/visibility as both an analytical tool for border studies and a strategy in borderwork, particularly in cross-border dynamics, migration control and resistance. The study unpacks its role in contrasting scenarios, where in/visibility is instrumental to surveillance and silencing, or to counter-representations and self-protection. It argues that deconstructing visual stereotypes and embracing the traces of in/visible practices can open the path to multisensory dimensions that challenge dominant border representations.