About HIDDEN Cost Action

Identity documentation has come to feature in every part of modern life. The History of Identity Documentation in European Nations (HIDDEN) network unites scholars in history, migration studies, geography, sociology, law, linguistics, postcolonial studies, human rights and more to look at the history of ID regimes in Europe and beyond, drawing connections between the past and present. In the context of UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.9 that everyone should have a legal identity by 2030, and the rise of new forms of biometric digital ID, such as the Covid-19 vaccination certificates, it is timely that an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary group of scholars critically examine the antecedents of modern systems and contemporary practices which can increase societal inequalities. 

ID is often linked to migration, a global challenge shaped by crises of climate, economics,  pandemics, politics and war. Documents available to citizens fleeing crises is determined by place of birth, geopolitics, gender and colonial and family legacies. We take seriously the need to examine ID in the context of mobility, but extend this to an analysis of the role of ID in every day life. HIDDEN analyses how states hinder or help citizens accessing ID, the role technology plays and what ethics are involved in accessing past personal data. HIDDEN explores issues of identity, citizenship and migration through connecting historical research on identity documents with modern, digital forms of identity documentation and the laws that create and determine them. HIDDEN will create academic and public-facing events to enhance public dialogue around ID.