The Cross-Border Metropolis in a Global Age: A Conceptual Model and Empirical Evidence from the US–Mexico and European Border Regions

Abstract

In a globalising urban world, cross-border metropolises are important spatial configurations that reflect the interplay between the space of flows and the space of places. This article scrutinises the different logics at play as urbanisation occurs around international boundaries. It disentangles the contradictory “bordering dynamics” that shape cross-border urban spaces in the context of globalisation and territorial restructuring. Because national borders embody multifaceted as well as ambivalent roles and meanings, they can be viewed as critical barometers for understanding how globalisation impacts cross-border metropolitan space. The first two sections of the article explore the two globalisation processes—“debordering” and “rebordering”—that define the formation of cross-border metropolises. We view the border as a social and political construction; as such, we propose a conceptual framework that addresses the changing role and significance of boundaries in the making of cross-border metropolises. Finally, we offer two contrasting empirical case studies, one from the US–Mexico border, the other from a European border region. By studying bordering dynamics in San Diego–Tijuana and Geneva, we are able to draw some conclusions about the challenges faced by cross-border metropolitan spaces as well as some mechanisms that will govern their future organisation.