ФРАГМЕНТАЦИЯ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОГО ПРОСТРАНСТВА И ДИНАМИЗМ СОВРЕМЕННОЙ СИСТЕМЫ ГРАНИЦ

Abstract

The forms, political and other factors of the dynamism of spatial boundaries are considered in the light of modern approaches in border studies. One of borders’ paradoxes lies in their inertia and at the same time high and increasing dynamism. It led to the creation of the concept of bordering, that is, the constant change in the functions and regime of borders, their significance for public opinion under the influence of political institutions, the practice of cross-border interactions and the international political and economic situation. The dynamism of the system of borders is determined by the increase in their number and length, reflecting the fragmentation of the world political space at all levels, the growing diversity of types of modern polities and the differences between them. In particular, the number of small states and, accordingly, the number of pairs of state borders are multiplied. The limited niche that small countries are forced to occupy in the international division of labor, as a rule, requires a specific regime (high openness) of borders and the delegation of part of sovereignty to other political actors. Large differences between polities, different ratios of kinds and the level of sovereignty results in the diversity and variability of the functional types of borders. Multilevel processes of integration and regionalization provoke an active redistribution of functions between state and other borders. Border issues are inseparable from the increasingly dynamic evolution of territorial identities, in particular, under the influence of international migration. Finally, the dynamism of borders is associated with their use as a tool for managing social and political processes. The configuration, functions and regime of borders, the asymmetry of cross-border flows are both a mirror and a factor of power of neighboring states and regions.