On September 12th, Lab2PT/IN2PAST doctoral student Sarah Al Shrbaji defended her thesis, entitled “A fictional representation in the geo-architecture of Syrian student migrations to Portugal: Traces and chronotopes of (e)scape paths amidst the Mediterranean from 2014 to 2018,” co-supervised by researchers João Rosmaninho, Marta Labastida and João Sarmento. The thesis was unanimously approved with the distinction of “Very Good.”

 

This thesis explores the intersection of architecture and migration, focusing specifically on Syrian student migrations to Portugal. It is composed of two parts: one theoretical and one practical, using an interdisciplinary approach. In these two parts, stories from five case studies of migration paths allow for the connection of themes such as memory, in its remembrance and obliteration, personal experiences of time and space, and map distortions. From these stories, questions arise about the role of representing migration paths and methodologies, such as the mapping agency. Through an understanding of positioning, the thesis develops intersubjectivity and visual data to reinterpret shared stories. With each representation of a path, there is a continuous learning process about how migrants shape and are shaped by their environment, influencing their memory of events, experiences, and perceptions. Thus, by simultaneously considering territorial and human scales, geo-architecture mediates this practice, which the thesis contributes to the field of architecture.

Congratulations to Dr. Sarah Al Shrbaji!

Images: EEAD