The Politics of Movement: Why Some People Can Move and Others Can't

Why can some people move freely across borders while others are stopped, tracked, and questioned? Tim Cresswell's new book The Citizen and the Vagabond: A Politics of Mobility (University of Minnesota Press, March 2026) argues that mobility isn't just about movement — it's about power. In this TwiceTold conversation, we go beyond what's in print to explore Cresswell's framework of rhythm, speed, routes, and friction — and what COVID lockdowns revealed about who gets to move and who doesn't. 📚 Book: The Citizen and the Vagabond: A Politics of Mobility by Tim Cresswell 320 pages | 12 illustrations | University of Minnesota Press Get the book: https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517920... In this conversation we discuss: • The Citizen vs The Vagabond — two figures that shape how we think about mobility • Why freedom of movement creates new forms of control and surveillance • Borders, citizenship, and the hierarchies of human geography • What the pandemic taught us about the politics of mobility 💬 What do you think — is your ability to move a right or a privilege? Tell us in the comments. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Why mobility is political 02:30 - Meet the Author: Tim Cresswell 08:00 - The Citizen vs The Vagabond framework 18:30 - Rhythm, Speed, Routes & Friction 28:00 - COVID, lockdowns, and who was allowed to move 38:00 - Passports, borders & citizenship hierarchies 50:00 - Surveillance and the price of moving freely 01:05:00 - What wasn't in the book - behind the scenes 01:14:00 - Final takeaways & reading recommendations 🔗 TwiceTold — Author conversations beyond the book Subscribe for more non-fiction & academic book discussions:    / @twicetold   #TheCitizenAndTheVagabond #TimCresswell #PoliticsOfMobility