Undoing Borders Campaign De-brief

In July 2019, the People & Planet student network voted to pursue two strands of migrant justice campaigning: one focusing on manifestations of the Hostile Environment in higher education, and another targeting university investments in the Border Industry. In September 2019 the Undoing Borders campaign was launched to tackle this first issue, demanding that universities provide material protection to migrating people rather than acting as an extention of immigration control infrastructure. Over the three years since the campaign launched, we have built strong groups dedicated to challenging surveillance mechanisms, improving access policies and reclaiming universities as sites of resistance and sanctuary. This process has also prompted students to build meaningful coalitions on campus while developing a more nuanced understanding of the interactions between border control and racism, xenophonia, racialised exclusion and colonial history.

However, a range of challenges faced along the way have informed the decision to focus on the investment strand moving forward, with Divest Borders taking the place as our flagship migrant justice campaign. 

Join us on Thursday 30th June 2022 4-5pm for a celebration of the Undoing Borders campaign. This event will be an opportunity to reflect on the successes we have enjoyed over the past three years, as well as a chance to share learnings gained from navigating the challenges faced during the same period. We will also use the space to discuss the ways forward for our Divest Borders campaign, and how we will incorporate Undoing Borders demands into the ongoing movement. 

This event is open to anyone with experience of working on the Undoing Borders campaign or an interest in the future directions of People & Planet's migrant justice campaigning.