Call for Chapters – The Handbook of Identity Documentation: Past, Present, and Future
Editorial Team: Godfrey Baldacchino (University of Malta), Michael J. Geary (Norwegian
University of Science and Technology – NTNU), Jennifer Redmond (Maynooth University),
Beatrice Scutaru (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), and Aisling Shalvey (University
College Cork).
Handbook Description:
From clay seals of ancient Mesopotamia to the biometric passports of the digital age, this
Handbook of Identity Documentation traces the fascinating evolution of identity documentation throughout human history. This book explores how societies across time have sought to define, regulate, and verify personal identity—shaped by shifting needs
for security, administration, belonging, and control.
Beginning with early systems of identification in ancient civilizations, such as tax records in Egypt, citizen rolls in Rome, and imperial censuses in China, the narrative flows through the medieval period’s letters of safe conduct, the rise of passports in early modern Europe, and the emergence of modern national IDs in the twentieth century. Special attention is given to pivotal moments, including wartime surveillance systems, colonial administrative controls, the emergence of the modern passport system, and the global spread of fingerprinting and photography. As the ID narrative moves into the
twentieth first century, the book examines the rise of digital identity, biometric
authentication, and debates over privacy, surveillance, and inclusion in a hyperconnected world. Drawing from history, politics, sociology, law and technology, the Handbook on Identity Documentation sheds light on how documents meant to identify us have also defined the very meaning of citizenship, personhood, and power.
We welcome contributions from all periods of history and geographical areas from the earlier Greek and Roman periods through to the present day. Similarly, we welcome interdisciplinary perspectives from law, history, political science, classics, migration studies, literary studies, and related fields. Contributions should have a clear focus on the role/use/abuses/evolution of identity documentation.
In terms of timeline, this is a two-stage process:
- Chapter abstracts should be submitted using this link no later than Friday, 3
October 2025: https://nettskjema.no/a/526823 - A full chapter (8,000 words maximum, including a max 10 list of suggested
further readings) will be due by 15 February 2026.
The editorial team is already in advanced talks with a leading publisher.
For additional questions, please email: michael.j.geary@ntnu.no
The PDF is available by clicking: Call for Chapters
