Boundaries revisited

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Alongside the post-war European integration process, the western part of the continent has enjoyed decades of stability and prosperity, characterized by increasing mutual trust and collaboration. The erosion of internal Schengen borders symbolizes these de-boundarization trends. However, the early 2010s revealed a contrasting shift in parts of Europe, where borders have been approached more traditionally by both decision-makers and the public. This volume aims to critically revisit classic understandings of borders and related policies, exploring concepts such as boundary, state power, nation-state building, geopolitics, and the historical memory of borders, which have resurfaced in contemporary Europe. A multidisciplinary approach was achieved by including scholars from various academic fields—historians, political scientists, geographers, and sociologists—from diverse European centers where borders are a focal point. All contributors began with Ladis Kristof's foundational text on boundaries and frontiers. The volume features eleven contributions from seventeen authors across institutions in Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Russia, and Turkey, divided into three sections. The first examines previously "hot" border disputes, the second explores emerging border issues in stable contexts, and the third addresses interactions with high conflict potential related to borderlines.