Frontier and border regions in early modern Europe

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Regional identities are now widely recognized as constructed entities in academic research. Recent studies have reframed regions within Frontier and Border Studies, highlighting their connections to neighboring states across boundaries. In early modern frontier regions, customs, culture, law, languages, and social structures often diverged from national norms, with cross-border ties and acculturation being essential to frontier society. This volume reassesses the political dynamics of early modern border societies, arguing that recent historiography has underemphasized politics, focusing instead on cultural exchange and transfer at the expense of division and exclusion. The essays explore whether the emphasis on communality and reciprocity in recent scholarship has overshadowed critical aspects such as the rule of law and institutional networks shaped by distinct political power structures on either side of the border. Difference remains a defining characteristic of Europe and its borders, which establish normative patterns regulating interactions between states and border societies. This collection addresses various challenges faced by political authorities in European states from around 1500 to 1800, examining the interplay of power instruments like confessional policy, military rule, and the writing of official histories with regional agendas.