In this article "Introduction. Theorizing Borders" Chris Rumford examines different transformation processes affecting borders and boundaries. The author demonstrates this with regard to the role of political borders, but also the changing relations between boundaries and society. This also results in changing perceptions of borders, to which attention should be paid. The multiple types of borders that now exist are illustrated through a series of examples before concluding that further theoretical-conceptual discussion turns out to be highly relevant.
The EUBORDERSCAPES project analyzed the conceptual changes in the study of borders that have taken place in the past decades. The project focused on the social significance and subjectivities of state borders. “Objective” categories of state territoriality were critically interrogating. Parallel to the study of conceptual change, the main research question was “how [do] different and often contested conceptualisations of state borders (in terms of their political, social, cultural and symbolic significance) resonate in concrete contexts at the level of everyday life”.
Saarland sees itself as a bridge between Germany and France. Due to historical developments, there is already a great deal of expertise on France, which is to be expanded further.
The France Strategy is designed as a comprehensive and civil society project. In close cooperation with Lorraine, it pursues an internal strategy (strengthening French competence within the country) and an external and communication strategy (marketing Saarland’s French competence externally, i.e. to France and Germany). Even if French competence is the focal point, the France Strategy is essentially a multilingual strategy.
The France Strategy has so far been complemented by two “Feuille de route” (roadmaps), which list milestones.
Border work has an indisputable influence on the development of areas on both sides of the border. This article summarizes the impact and policy responses to the steady increase in the number of cross-border workers, with an emphasis on the Lorraine villages and cities where most of the cross-border commuters to Luxembourg live. After a presentation of the evolution of the number of cross-border workers in Lorraine, the perception of the impact of this trend on territorial development on local, inter-municipal, regional, national, and European policies is summarized. Under the title “local dynamics,” the improvement of the accessibility of the territories, the increase in housing construction, the development of services and facilities, as well as financial and tax support are discussed. It is noted that the impact varies by area and creates strong disparities. Reflections on development prospects are presented.
In this anthology, the authors examine how cross-border regions emerge and what characterizes them. The practices of institutional participants and border area residents in the fields of the labor market, economy, political cooperation, media, everyday life and culture will be analyzed and discussed.
GR-Atlas is an interactive, interdisciplinary, thematic atlas of the “Greater Region SaarLorLux.” The atlas is the central result of a research project funded first by the Fonds National de Recherche (FNR = The Luxembourg National Research Fund) and then by the University of Luxembourg. The bilingual (German/French) atlas, which is constantly being added to, presents about 50 different thematic maps, which are based on an internet geographical information system (WebGIS) and have been created across borders for as much of the Greater Region as possible. Four maps show a diachronic view of a phenomenon by means of an interactive timeline. The objects displayed on the maps are linked to a database that can be accessed interactively. The map section is supplemented by a text section with explanations and illustrations of the individual maps.
