Digital identification or ‘Digital ID’ systems refer to the digitised methods through which an individual can prove their identity. Increasingly, such systems include biometric information such as fingerprints, iris scans or facial recognition. The idea behind digital ID is that it allows to establish the identity of a person without the need to present physical documents. Digital identity systems are seen as solutions to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.9 ‘a legal identity for all’.

Refugees are particularly affected by the lack of identity documents. Digital identification systems in refugee camps are championed as opportunities for recognition, but also for the purposes of efficiency and audit. At the same time, digital identification systems involve safeguarding risks and potential discrimination. 

This  is an 18-month ethnographic study based in a camp in Northern Thailand. Through interviews with refugees and key stakeholders, participant observation and participatory methods, we assess implications of existing systems. Through our participatory approach, our participants express what an ideal identification system would look like from their point of view.   Ultimately, our research aims to reimagine what a fair identification system might look like.

Language was a central consideration in our research design, particularly as key concepts, such as “digital identity”, do not have direct equivalents in Karen. By working closely with Karen scholars who were part of our research team, we were able to navigate these complexities in ways that enriched the project, revealing how such ideas are interpreted, negotiated, or redefined across linguistic and cultural contexts. With this consideration, we prioritise the Karen language on this website, specifically S'gaw Karen, as this is the language spoken by the majority of our participants. By foregrounding Karen, we centre the lived experiences of our participants and resist the marginalisation of non-Western voices in digital spaces.

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The research is supported by the British Academy through the ODA Challenge-Oriented Research Grants 2024: Societal Challenges and Approaches to Responsible Technologies, supported under the UK Governments International Science Partnerships Fund. The project is a partnership between Chiang Mai University and Goldsmiths, University of London.