This collective and multidisciplinary publications questions the notion of the border, whose realities and existence are today being challenged under the effect of globalisation. Four disciplines come together here: law, history, sociology and economics. The publication offers historical and epistemological reflections arising out of analyses of European border situations. It highlights the recent changes in the border situations in the European space and the social dynamics running through them.
This paper deals with the possibility of elaborating a theory of the bordering that encompasses the different types of border and boundary experience. David NEWMAN refers to his previous works, where he argued that the creation of a common vocabulary between the different disciplines interested in changing border/boundary phenomenon is necessary in order to create a common set of theoretical constructs and frameworks. After an input on borders as institutions and the bordering process, a research agenda for the study of borders is discussed.
The cross-border research workshops were organized by the researchers from the Maison des Sciences de l'Homme of the University of Lorraine (MHSL) in collaboration with researchers from the University of Luxembourg. The main topic was the definition of the concept of “border.” Between 2008 and 2009, three workshops took place in order to provide the researchers with a meeting place where they could share and exchange ideas and knowledge.
