This book starts by painting a picture of the invisible structures, such as the desert, that are used to deter migrants, giving a bird's-eye view at the systems in place. The structure of this book is then divided into three stages. The first phase is separation, in which migrants are subjected many forms of violence. The second phase is the liminal stage. This transitional period presents us with more stories about the crossing and the risks involved, and the motives driving the migrants to undertake this dangerous journey. The last stage presents us with the aftermath. In terms of rituals, this would have been the stage of incorporation, but this is not always the case here, given that numerous migrants disappear in the desert and never emerge.
