Boundaries and Place: European Borderlands in Geographical Context

Product Description Examining contemporary cultural and political changes in Europe as they are reflected in the region's borderlands, this in-depth analysis combines the classical heritage of boundary studies with a profound understanding of the social construction of borders. The book employs a rich variety of perspectives on globalization, the rise of national and ethnic identities, contemporary European integration, and the enlargement of the EU. Utilizing original case studies that stretch from Lapland to Italy, from Serbia to Northern Ireland, the contributors draw upon border study methodologies ranging from survey questionnaires to discourse analysis, from landscape studies to the exploration of cultural texts. They pay particular attention to the role of geographical scale, identity, history, and social and economic contexts in the dynamic evolution of European borderlands. Throughout, the book explores how borderlands are experienced by ordinary people and employed by institutional actors in charge of cross-border cooperation. Review A valuable collection of essaysssss -- Brian Graham, University of UlsterThe many cases dealt with in this book are interesting and all of them contribute to a better understanding of the problems of borders and border regions. I would recommend this book not only to researchers involved in these kinds of studies, but also to policy makers and others interested in borders in the broad sense of the word. ―Regional StudiesThis well-edited volume holds a selection of borderland studies examining the changing role of borders in Europe attempting to integrate aspects of economic and political life while expanding its influence eastward. -- Brian W. Blouet, The College of William and Mary ―Professional GeographerValuable as both a general record of the creation and functioning of Euroregions and as a critical research document on the contrasting structures and processes evident in different regions. The approach is original and the scholarship is of a very high order. -- David Knight, University of GuelphA valuable collection of essays -- Brian Graham, University of Ulster About the Author David H. Kaplan is professor of geography at Kent State University.Jouni Häkli is professor of regional studies at the University of Tampere, Finland.