The Documentation of Individual Identity: Historical and Comparative Perspectives since 1500

Following on from the workshop on ‘Identification et surveillance des individus: quels enjeux pour nos Démocraties?’ held in Paris a fortnight ago which we flagged below, high definition video interviews with the speakers have been posted (in French) to the web. Here, IdentiNet member Pierre Piazza describes his research on the shift from paperized to biometric modes of identification:

Interviews were also held with Vincent Denis (historian), Sébastien Laurent (historian), Christian Aghroum (divisional commissioner), Laurent Bonelli (conference organiser), Jean-Claude Vitran (League of Human Rights), Sylvia Preuss-Lausinotte (lawyer), Thierry Rousselin (spatial imaging consultant), Anastassia Tsoukala (criminal lawyer), and Jérôme Thorel (‘Big Brother Awards’).

This Saturday (17 January 2009), the Paris Pompidou Centre hosts a workshop on ‘Identification et surveillance des individus: quels enjeux pour nos Démocraties?’. A wide range of academics, journalists and consultants (including IdentiNet member Pierre Piazza) will attend to the political, philosophical, social, economic and legal implications of the recent proliferation of identification and surveillance practices in light of terrorist threats, increasing global mobility and the availability of ever more sophisticated technologies. For details and a full programme, download the pdf flyer or visit the workshop webpage. Picture: stock.xchng