Sans Papiers by Alice Bloch, Nando Sigona and Roger Zetter is finally in production – and with a new cover. It can be ordered on Pluto website for £19.50. The new cover is so new that it’s not yet on the website. So this is a bit of a premiere!

Sans Papiers, cover.
Sans Papiers, cover.

Book synopsis from the back cover:

“Undocumented migration is a significant and much debated global phenomenon, yet little is known about the reality of the lives of those involved. This book combines theoretical and policy debates with an in-depth exploration of the lived experiences of undocumented migrants in the UK from Zimbabwe, China, Brazil, Ukraine and Turkish Kurdistan.
Built around their voices, the book provides a unique account of migratory processes, gendered experiences and migrant aspirations, exploring the challenges and contradictions of being a young undocumented migrant”

Endorsements:

 This is an important book on a subject of great public importance. Undocumented migration is used world-wide to provide low-skilled and vulnerable labour forces, while allowing governments to appear to be maintaining a tough stance on border protection. Bloch, Sigona and Zetter’s work is unique, because it is based on interviews with 75 young undocumented migrants. Much has been written about the lack of rights and exploitation of migrants; this book presents empirical evidence on the experience of one of the most vulnerable group of all: young people.

(Professor Stephen Castles, Research Chair in Sociology, University of Sidney )

 The authors enlighten our understanding of what it is like to be young and undocumented in increasingly hostile contexts. Rich and nuanced, this book sheds light on these immigrants’ exclusion, exploitation and disappointments, but also on their resilience, resourcefulness, and hopes. A must read for anyone interested in what really lies behind policy debates about immigration today.

(Professor Cecilia Menjivar, Cowden Distinguished Professor, Associate Director at T Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University and author of Enduring Violence, Ladina Women’s Lives in Guatemala, University of California Press, 2011)