The Centre for Gender in Politics is pleased to host a conversation with Leah Cowan on her new book Border Nation. A story of migration (Pluto Press).

Borders are more than geographical lines - they impact all our lives, whether it's the inhumanity of deportations, or a rise in racist attacks in the wake of the EU referendum. Border Nation shows how oppressive borders must be resisted.

Laying bare the web of media myths that vilify migrants, Leah Cowan dives into the murky waters of corporate profiteering from borders by companies like G4S, and the ramping up of everyday borders through legislation. She looks at their colonial origins, and explores how a draconian approach to border crossings damages our communities.

As borders multiply, so too must resistance. From demonstrations inside detention centres to migrant-led campaigns and acts of cross-border solidarity, people are fighting back to stand up for everyone's freedom to move.

You can order the book at: https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745341071/border-nation/

Leah is the former Politics Editor at the award-winning magazine gal-dem. She works at Project 17, an advice centre which supports migrant families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF). She speaks on race, gender and migration, including for UN Women, in the House of Commons, and at the Trade Unions Congress, and has written for VICE, openDemocracy and the Guardian.

The event is hosted by the Centre for Gender in Politics at Queen’s University Belfast. The centre serves the growing community of feminist scholars and activists in international studies who apply a gendered lens to understand challenges in global politics. This event is part of the Centre's seminar series Feminist Dialogues on the Politics of Borders. If you have questions about the event connect with us on Twitter @CentreForGender or email centreforgender@qub.ac.uk