In May 2025, Maynooth University hosted the Year 3 HIDDEN Conference, a major international conference that brought together researchers, scholars, and practitioners from across Europe to explore the evolving role of identity documentation in shaping access, recognition, and mobility. Organised by the History of Identity Documentation in European Nations (HIDDEN) network and funded through the EU COST Action programme, the two-day event was both timely and urgent, offering deep insight into how documents—from passports to biometric data—impact people’s lives across generations and borders.

The conference addressed the role of identity documentation within historical and contemporary contexts, emphasizing how these systems influence legal rights, state recognition, and individual belonging. Discussions unfolded in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, which calls for legal identity for all by 2030. Speakers highlighted how ID systems have functioned as tools of governance, often entrenching structural inequality rather than dismantling it. The full programme for the event can be found here.
The conference was opened by Professor Rachel Msetfi, Vice President for Research and Innovation at Maynooth University who gave a personal touch to the event by addressing her own challenges with obtaining identity documentation that reflected her ethnicity. A powerful keynote address by Dagmar Hovestädt, renowned for her work at the intersection of archives, justice, and memory, grounded the conference in the importance of documentation for transitional justice. Drawing on her experience with Stasi archives in Germany and human rights records from Syria, she explored how identity documents can serve as both instruments of state control and essential resources for truth and reconciliation.

One of the most impactful sessions was the HIDDEN Community Stakeholders Plenary, which centred the voices of those most affected by documentation regimes. Adam Labaran of the Refugees Union in Portugal opened with a moving reflection on living without papers—caught between systems that require identification and processes that deny it. His story highlighted the urgency of reform and the lived reality of bureaucratic exclusion. Dr. Zoë O’Reilly of Maynooth University challenged attendees to adopt anti-colonial approaches in migration research, advocating for ethics of care and meaningful collaboration. Sirazul Islam from the European Network on Statelessness presented on participatory approaches that empower stateless individuals to be active policy shapers, not just subjects of study. Dr. Prince Okorie from Diverse Youth Northern Ireland concluded with an inspiring look at grassroots youth engagement, showcasing how leadership and inclusion are being built from the ground up among minority communities.

Throughout the two days, a series of parallel panels explored identity documentation across time and geography. Discussions examined how colonial powers used education and paperwork to enforce racial and civic hierarchies in places like French West Africa, and how refugee documentation such as the Nansen Passport offered both humanitarian protection and new forms of control. Presentations on post-colonial Asia revealed how digital ID systems in places like Cambodia have perpetuated statelessness by codifying exclusion into law. In the Bay of Bengal region, efforts to combat trafficking were shown to rely heavily on documentation, yet often resulted in increased surveillance. A case study on Pakistani Bengali migrants illustrated how identity can remain precarious across generations despite formal citizenship efforts.
Further sessions explored the political weight of passports, questioning their role in sustaining global inequality. Scholars presented critical views on the future of identity in multicultural societies like North Macedonia and Turkey, where ID systems can simultaneously foster inclusion and deepen division. Another panel focused on the body itself as a form of identification, from the historical rise of biometrics to contemporary uses of same-sex marriage as a pathway to legal recognition of citizenship and identity. Presenters examined how artistic and conceptual resistance has challenged the bureaucratization of the body and opened new avenues for critique.
On the second day, panels continued to trace the role of identity documents in both historical migration and today’s digital infrastructure. Presentations on migration history revealed how documents have long been tools of control, regulation, and narrative construction. Speakers from Croatia and Portugal explored fragmented identity among emigrant communities, while reflections on European identity prompted debate about the contradictions at the heart of regional unity. Simultaneously, discussions on algorithmic borders raised questions about how digital systems designed to manage migration may reinforce bias and opacity. Analysis of Germany’s integrated ID management measures sparked reflection on the future of origin tracing and its ethical implications.

The final panels examined citizenship and paper archives. A presentation on Malta’s citizenship laws unpacked the intersections of nationality, wealth, and political connections. The Italian “ius scholae” debate highlighted ongoing obstacles to citizenship for children of immigrants. Reflections on U.S. overseas citizens during World War I illustrated how bureaucratic ambiguity can challenge notions of national identity. The closing session turned to historic documents from Ukraine and Romania, revealing how diplomatic and travel papers reflect both sovereignty and suppression. These talks underscored how documentation defines boundaries—both physical and symbolic—and often determines access to rights.

Across all sessions, a common thread emerged: identity documentation is not merely a bureaucratic matter, but a deeply political and personal one. Who is documented, how, and by whom reveals much about systems of power, inclusion, and resistance. The conference also addressed the harmful role of misinformation in public discourse around migration, and called for greater inclusion of personal testimony in research and policymaking.
A moving reading by Evgenii Shtorn from his Refugee Chronicles also brought to life themes of loss, resilience, and friendship. His narrative grounded the broader discussions in real human experience, reminding participants of the emotional toll of statelessness and exclusion.

With vibrant participation online through X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, #HIDDENconf2025 sparked conversation far beyond the rooms of Maynooth University. As the HIDDEN network continues its work through 2026, the insights and connections formed at this conference will continue to inform new research, advocacy, and policy. Identity documentation may appear mundane, but as this conference made clear, it remains one of the most powerful tools for shaping the modern world—and for imagining a more just future.
HIDDEN extends its sincere thanks to Dr. Jennifer Redmond, Chair, and Dr. Aisling Shalvey, Co-Chair, for their outstanding leadership and dedication in organizing this conference. We are also deeply grateful to Maynooth University for generously hosting us and providing such a welcoming and stimulating environment for our discussions.
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