ABSTRACT
This chapter offers a critical perspective into social policy architectures, primarily in relation to questions of race, national identity and belonging. It is the first to identify a connection between the universal provision of legal identity in the Dominican Republic and arbitrary measures to restrict access to citizenship paperwork from populations of (largely, but not exclusively) Haitian descent. The chapter highlights the current gap in social policy that overlooks the possible alienating effects of social inclusion measures, particularly in countries that discriminate against migrant-descended populations. It also supports concerns in scholarship regarding the dangers of identity management, noting that as administrative systems improve, new uncertainties can develop. The project therefore serves as a warning about the potential use of social policy architectures for authoritarian practices. In this regard, it offers a timely critique of global policy measures to provide all people everywhere with a legal identity in the run-up to the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
