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Heitor Laforga 

MA Design for Change

Hi! I’m Heitor, an MA Design for Change graduate, designer and creative leveraging design for good and visual communication to promote and inspire positive change. I am interested in editorial and visual design and enjoy working across print and screen. My work blends visual storytelling, research and strategy. This is my master’s final project and the culmination of livid experiences, beliefs and the world around me.

In a globalised world the physical act of crossing a border became a powerful metaphor for the resilience and adaptability required in the face of uncertain circumstances and on some level resistance to being absorbed by the system. World precarity, exacerbated by factors such as inequality and social change, intersects with migration in multifaceted ways. It is not merely about the movement of people; it is about the underlying conditions that drive these movements and the narratives and realities drawn by them.
Numbers represent the average age border by region, Western Europe, Asia, Middle Eastern, Africa, North America, and Central/South America. By understanding the historical context and acknowledging the impact of European sovereignty, interventions can be recommended and contribute to the creation of more inclusive and harmonious spaces. Moreover, the contemporary nature of the majority of world borders opens avenues for two relevant discussions, how many of these borders are true to the people whom they rule and how attached should we be to such young and malleable geopolitical constructs.
Mechanisms and Tools of Border Reinforcement In the post-Napoleonic era of European peace, there was minimal state intervention in migration, allowing individuals to move freely without national restrictions. This period, marked by practical internationalism, began to shift after the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815), which led to the introduction of passports and soon to the concept of visas and a new era of physical artificial barriers. Together, passports, visas, and physical borders apart from impacting mobility and symbolic function regarding national sovereignty and power, also reinforce socio and economic inequalities, casting influence across local, national, and global levels.
In the pursuit of understanding the impact of European colonisation, it is essential to critically examine the vast territories that were brought under its control. Most of the world’s land was, at some point, subject to European rule. European colonisation was not solely about the expansion of borders into uncharted territories; it also involved imposing authority over regions that had long-standing indigenous populations and established governance structures. European powers reshaped existing borders and imposed artificial (imaginary) divisions that often did not align with the historical or cultural realities of the region colonised. These borders, reminiscent of colonialism, reflect a lasting imprint on the geopolitical landscape, influencing not only the territorial integrity but also the cultural, social, and economic structures that continue to shape narratives to this day.
Timeline tracing the journey of the European Union (EU) treaties throughout time. At its core, often celebrated for fostering unity and cooperation, the EU also stands on neoliberalist grounds. This character positions the EU as a tool not only for integration but, crucially, as a mechanism for the maintenance of capitalist power. The timeline serves as a chronicle of the EU’s evolution, offering a lens through which to scrutinise the intersection of political ambitions and economic goals.
Considering the preceding research, personal experiences, and immersive engagement within the city, an examination of the Brazilian community as a fraction od Dublin’s international band provides relevant insights into the cultural dynamics discussed in the Irish scenario and showcase a practice for exploration and mapping of Dublin’s ethnic islands.

EU Timeline PDF

Imaginary Borders - Spatial Subversion & Cultural Resilience

In the backdrop of a globalised world, characterised by unprecedented mobility and interconnectedness, the new age of migration demands a nuanced exploration of borders. Beyond their conventional role as territorial boundaries, borders emerge as dynamic entities influencing the everyday lives of individuals. This study seeks to unravel borders under a new perspective and a historical legacy lens, offering insights into how they act as transformative agents, and manifest under different contexts.


EU Timeline PDF
Design for Change
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