Border Settlement Research Articles

Everyday Dishes from Corn Flour and Groats in the Nutrition of Ukrainians of East Podolian Prydnistrovia in the Late 19th – Early 21st Centuries

The article is devoted to the consideration of an integral component of the traditional daily ration of Ukrainians of East PodolianPrydnistrovia – dishes from corn flour and grits, known as a mandatory food for every day during the late 19th – mid 20th centuries, and some of them (for food variety) are still cooked. The work is based on the analysis of ethnographic works, published sources and the corpus of own field materials (interviews with respondents), recorded during the expeditions to the border settlements of Vinnytsia and the north of Odesa regions in 2013–2016. The author is describing the features of cooking the most common corn products – mamalyha and malai. The gastronomic difficulties of life support under extreme circumstances are considered partially. In particular, attention is focused on the consumption in the region of baderevka and badevka, those are rather modest in terms of nutrition boiled liquid soups with corn flour, and which saved Ukrainians during the difficult times of the post-war famine of 1946–1947. The materials of the conducted research have made it possible to confirm the generalizations of ethnologists-researchers of the Ukrainian-Moldovan borderlands and our preliminary conclusions (based on the study of other components of the life-support system) that in the space of the ethno-contact zone (in particular, in the Transdnistrian territories of Eastern Podillia) a typical ethno-specific food complex partially loses its differentiating function and acquires a special format that combines similar or jointly created ethnocultural practices of both Ukrainians and Moldovans. The analysis of the author’s expedition materials, in addition to the factual disclosure of the subject, also serves as a basis for the spatial characterization of the names and realities of this block of ethnoculture, visualized with the help of a special map scheme introduced into scientific circulation. The concluding remarks outline the prospects for implementing the results for modern cultural preservation practices, primarily in the Vinnytsia and Odesa regions.

Evidence for Slavic lead mining and trade: Early Rus’ lead seals from Czermno and Gródek on the Polish Rus’ border

Both in Byzantium and by the Kievan Rus’, lead seals were used to signify ownership. Their stamped inscriptions and symbols are analogous to coinage and are a rich source of information on interaction and commerce. The Rus’ used them in the 11th-13th century CE as regular seals issued by rulers and church officials but also for sealing a specified number of furs exported from East European forests (creating ‘approved’ pelt bundles; so-called Drohiczyn seals). The latter are concentrated at Kievan Rus’-Polish border settlements, signalling cross-border exchange. Fourteen seals were analysed (Pb-isotope / trace elements) to investigate lead source and the direction of trade. The results of eleven suggest a connection to the nearby Olkusz lead mines in southern Poland (west of Cracow). This new evidence for lead transport from southern Poland to the Kievan Rus’ is of great significance for further research into reconstructing trade routes connecting Latin and Orthodox (Rus’) Europe. It show that trade routes ran not only through Scandinavia via Novgorod and from the Black Sea via Kiev but also laterally, linking Poland and Rus’.

Countering hostile sabotage and reconnaissance groups by the National Police of Ukraine units in the context of martial law

The article is devoted to the study of ways to improve the tactical and special readiness of police officers to counteract sabotage and reconnaissance groups in the border areas and in the areas of active hostilities. The author identifies additional powers of the police under the martial law regime, including the following: conducting joint operations against sabotage and reconnaissance forces of the aggressor (enemy) and paramilitary or armed groups which are not regulated by the laws of Ukraine.
 To address the objectives of the study, the analysis of the sources of international and national law providing for the use of sabotage and reconnaissance groups by the parties to the conflict is carried out, the essence and hierarchical structure of these groups are revealed, and the objects against which the use of sabotage measures is prohibited are identified. The article also provides a list of objects of the warring parties which, according to international humanitarian law, may be subject to damage.
 The organisational features of the basics for defensive combat by the units of the ground forces of certain countries, in particular, the Federal Republic of Germany and the United States of America, are considered. According to the military doctrine of these countries, the purpose of defence is to disrupt the enemy’s offensive actions, inflict maximum losses in manpower and equipment, and gain time to concentrate forces in the chosen direction for the offensive.
 The article describes the signs that can be used to identify members of Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups. These signs are the following: the execution of certain actions, including conducting intelligence activities, destabilising the situation by committing criminal offences (explosions, murders, assaults, robberies) under the guise of domestic crimes, spreading false information and discrediting the authorities during direct communication with the local population.
 The tactical methods of combating sabotage and reconnaissance groups in the territory of the controlled border area are highlighted. The experience of counter-sabotage measures by the security and defence forces of Ukraine, one of the elements of which is an ambush, is studied. 
 A model of sabotage protection and its use in the educational process of higher education institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine is proposed, which provides for a comprehensive combination of command and staff exercises with tactical and special exercises in two stages and involvement of cadets in ensuring public safety and order in border settlements.

Determining Military Resistance in the Republic of Armenia's Border Settlements Within Spatial Planning

Due to the military operations conducted by the opponent during and after the 2020 Artsakh war, as well as potential future risks and threats, the Republic of Armenia faces the challenge of ensuring the secure livelihoods of border settlements and implementing programs aimed at territorial development. Therefore, raising the issues regarding the resistance of these settlements to possible military operations is of strategic importance and demands immediate attention. The research examines normative and technical documents adopted from both international and local experiences to mitigate the impact of military attacks. It delves into the potential for reducing casualties and material damage by organizing the spatial environment of settlements. Furthermore, it emphasizes the necessity of defining new terminology and formulating key assessment criteria. The proposed solutions can be the basis for proposing a new scientific theory in architecture and contributing to the development of new resistance solutions in architecture along with military technologies.

Развитие трансграничных платежей с помощью цифровых активов и цифровых валют для достижения целей экономического развития

The subject of the study is the sphere of cross–border payments as a factor in the restoration of Russian foreign trade in the face of sanctions pressure from Western countries. The relevance of the topic of the article is due to the fact that in order to accelerate economic growth, an early recovery of export volumes and preservation of import volumes are required, which, among other things, encounter problems in settlements with foreign counterparties, solved through the digital transformation of the financial sector and the use of new payment mechanisms to alleviate pressure on Russia and its trading partners. The purpose of the work is to assess the current state of the use of digital financial assets in cross–border settlements with friendly jurisdictions. The article finds that in 2022 – 2023, the volume of Russian imports and exports underwent significant fluctuations due to the reconfiguration of Russian foreign trade to the markets of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. At the same time, the need to create a safe and effective payment mechanism protected from the negative impact of primary and secondary sanctions came to the fore. The key problems in the field of international payments have become the disconnection of the largest Russian banks from SWIFT and the large-scale blocking of correspondent accounts of Russian banks by foreign counterparties, which can be overcome through the use of cross-border settlements through such instruments as digital financial assets, cryptocurrency, and digital currencies of central banks. However, it is concluded that in the presence of a well-formed legislative framework and obvious potential to mitigate sanctions pressure, the use of new payment mechanisms is difficult due to the lack of necessary regulatory and/or infrastructure solutions.

Dynamics of Border Conflict Resolution Between Indonesia-Timor Leste

Border areas are areas that are geographically directly adjacent to other countries. The border area is also one of the strategic areas, where the area that nationally concerns the lives of many people, both in terms of political, economic, social, cultural, and hankam interests. Border conflicts are usually particularly vulnerable if the contested territory has excellent natural and economic resource potential. The purpose of this study is to describe the factors that cause conflict and the urgency of boundary affirmation and describe efforts to resolve boundaries through regulation and non-regulation. The method used is a qualitative method with a type of descriptive approach through literature study. Based on the results of the study, it is understood that the settlement of Indonesia's border with Timor-Leste will be carried out peacefully, without the threat of violence, and with full respect for international law. This article seeks to understand the Indonesia-Timor Leste border dispute from the perspective of international relations. Three strategies can be taken by Indonesia to resolve this dispute, namely military confrontation, the use of formal institutions such as international organizations, and the use of informal institutions namely norms, beliefs, ideas, and values. This article argues that to resolve the dispute between Noel Besi/Citrana and Bijael Sunan/Oben it is not enough to rely on international treaties alone, Indonesia needs to put more emphasis on the importance of understanding the norms, beliefs, ideas, and values of indigenous peoples living in the disputed area. The role of the government in efforts to maintain the integrity of the country's territory through bilateral communication and cooperation can then be utilized by local actors to resolve conflicts and participate in defending the territory.

Nigeria’s Sub – Regional Diplomacy: Nigeria’s role in promoting West African Institutions

The study examines Nigerian subregional diplomacy: study of Nigeria’s role in promoting West African Institutions The study focuses on Nigeria’s relations with West African institutions such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the Gulf of Guinea Commission and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The authors consider in detail Nigeria’s national interests vis-à-vis West African institutions and Member States. To achieve the objective of the study, the authors pay particular attention to Nigeria’s bilateral relations with neighbouring States and cooperation with African institutions. The study is based on the theory of political realism, which implies constant competition among States defending their national interests. In the process of studying this problem, the authors apply institutional, analytical and problem-chronological methods. The main conclusions of the study are the establishment of Nigeria’s role in the settlement of border and territorial disputes, which enabled the state to interact and cooperate with its neighbours, the importance of Nigeria’s contribution to the peacekeeping of the region, Identifying the stability of Nigeria’s foreign policy towards both Africa as a whole and neighbouring States, analysing the main problems of the West African region, which is the basis of Nigeria’s subregional diplomacy: insecurity, political instability and economic imbalance. Moreover, the authors provide critical analysis of Nigeria’s institutional cooperation. The relevance of the study is due to the growing political and economic influence of Nigeria on the African continent.

MIGRATION OF POPULATION IN THE NORTHERN BORDER REGIONS OF AZERBAIJAN

Purpose. The main purpose of the research work is to study the migration features of the population in the northern border regions of Azerbaijan, to identify existing problems in this area and to identify ways to solve them. Method. Comparative analysis, attractiveness of the area, statistical methods were used in writing the article. The northern border regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan were chosen as the research object. Conclusion. Despite the implementation of several state programs from 2004 until now, there is inequality in the socio-economic development of the regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Unlike the Baku-Absheron zone, there are still serious problems in the socio-economic life of the population in other regions. This leads to an increase in unemployment and poverty in the regions, migration of the population to Baku. Since the border regions are of strategic importance for the state, more attention should be paid to the employment of the population in order to keep them on the ground. Taking into account the strategic importance of the border position of the northern border regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the extreme natural conditions in the mountainous area, it is necessary to give certain concessions to the population living here for the sustainable socio-economic development of the border settlements. The creation of certain infrastructures should be carried out directly at the expense of the state, and for their continuous, constant activity, it is advisable to have these enterprises under state control. Scientific novelty. Demographic development and participation of the population in the migration process in the northern border regions of Azerbaijan were studied. As a result of these studies, it was found that in some settlements, as a result of the decline in natural growth and migration, the population has sharply decreased. The recommendations and suggestions given in the article are important for determining the strategic importance of population settlement in the northern border regions and eliminating existing problems in the field of demographic development.

Transformation and differentiation of spatial development of Belgorod, Voronezh and Kursk regions

The purpose of the work is to analyze the transformation, differentiation of spatial socio–economic development of the regions bordering Ukraine as part of the Central Chernozem region and their regional metropolises. The results of the study confirmed two types of structures of regional settlement systems of the CCR border regions: Belgorod dual-core and monocentric Voronezh and Kursk with established features of non-metropolitan reduction trends and different vectors of development of border settlement. Dynamics of economic development of the regions since 2010 it indicates a significant transformation and differentiation, a change of leader, a stable nature of the processes of divergence of regions in the levels of development. It is revealed that in 2020 the highest indicators of economic development were achieved by the Voronezh region, the first signs of stagnation of the economic development of the Belgorod region were established, in which a reduction in investment, a change in the geopolitical situation in 2022, the border situation can lead to a decrease in the investment attractiveness of large businesses, a further drop in the pace of economic development, the emergence of instability. The reduction of the share of metropolises in the socio-economic development of the regions, the formation of a new trend – "de-monocentricity" has been established. A retrospective analysis of the population growth/loss ratio revealed a persistent trend of population concentration in suburban metropolitan areas against the background of a continuing decline in the population of the deep regions of the regions. The territories bordering Ukraine are characterized by different vectors of economic and demographic development. The conducted research allowed us to establish the trends of uneven spatial development; the polarization of the development of regional metropolises, non-metropolitan and border areas; the tightening of the population in the regional capitals-metropolises and suburban areas. The methodology of studying the spatial development of regions, regional metropolises provides an opportunity to monitor their levels of development, identify priority problems, and make effective management decisions.

A new approach for an old identity: Soufli, Greece as an open town-museum of silk

Soufli, a small Greek border settlement, presents a widely recognized dipole of tourist destinations, a unique National Park and its silk tradition, including the circle of the relevant economy and its historical-architectural heritage. This prevailing local identity is gradually de-facto structured as a holistic model. Private entrepreneurship plays the first role, other stakeholders being local administration, education, associations and the citizens themselves as active participants. Thus, an open town-museum of silk is formulated, with five complementary museums and collections, two silk factories, an old emblematic factory, in restoration by the Municipality, numerous silk shops, decades of silkworm breeders enterprises, mulberry trees, two public, silk-oriented training foundations, an environmental center, events, International Conferences, workshops and exhibitions by world famous firms, Greek and foreign universities visiting and working on place, in a trans-border and transnational cooperation. In 2021 Soufli was chosen by the World Tourism Organization among the Best Tourism Villages, awarded with a valuable branding, which strengthens its position in the world map of silk.

ՏԱՐԱԲՆԱԿԵՑՄԱՆ ԱԶԳԱՅԻՆ ՔԱՂԱՔԱԿԱՆՈՒԹՅԱՆ ՀԻՄՆԱԿԱՆ ՈՒՂՂՈՒԹՅՈՒՆՆԵՐԸ

The article presents the main features and trends of the modern settlement of the RA, as well as the existing problems, the principles and directions of the scientifically based resettlement policy for their solution and the mechanisms for their implementation. The article substantates that in the present times,during the regulation of population settlement, ensuring the safety of the border settlements and strengthening the territorial integrity of RA is of great importance. The article highlights those factors and conditions that determine the new directions of ekistic policy. On their basis, six alternative strategies and ways of their implementation are proposed.

SEISMICITY of KYRGYZSTAN and UZBEKISTAN in 2016 and 2017

In 2016 and 2017, seismic observations on the territory of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan were carried out by networks of these countries. Seismic networks of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan included 25 and 39 stations respectively. The catalog of earthquakes for 2016 included 705 events with KR=8.6–15.4. The strongest earthquake in the 2016 catalog was earthquake of November 25 at 14h24m with KR=15.4, located at the territory of neighboring China. Devastating for China, the earthquake caused panic among the residents of the border settlements of our countries. The Kyzyl-Art earthquake, which occurred on June 26, 2016 at 11h17s (KR=15.1) in the south of Kyrgyzstan, was the second by magnitude event in 2016. Its epicenter was located on the northern slope of the Zaalay Range. The Kyzyl-Art earthquake caused numerous aftershock series, which continued until the Aketao event, which had its own aftershock series that lasted until the end of the year. As a result, the number of earthquakes included to the catalog for 2016 increased by 2.3 times compared with 2015. The 2017 catalog of earthquakes included 265 events with KR=8.6–14.5, i.e. the total seismicity in the region decreased by 2.7 compared with previous year. The strongest earthquake in the 2017 catalog (KR=14.5), Karamyk earthquake, occurred on May 3 at 04h47m in the spurs of the Alai Range in the territory of Tajikistan, near the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border. The strong foreshock (KR=12.9) occurred 18 seconds before the main shock. The earthquake accompanied by numerous aftershocks. Another rather strong earthquake (KR=13.2) was registered on September 29 at 13h49 m on the territory of Uzbekistan.

The festival - the mark of the city's cultural identity in the context of urban marketing

"Should we attach to the notion of identity, that of culture, we will have a more comprehensive and at the same time more precise vision of the relationship that exists between the two terms. The cultural identity is that something that recognizes the human community (social, political, regional, national, ethnic, religious) in terms of values, mentality, commitments, traditions, beliefs, historical memory. To understand the notions of identity and culture, we refer to the individual and then to the group and to the manner they relate to the community, society and why not, the citadel, meaning the city. The latter becomes cultural when it values the customs and traditions of its inhabitants, its heritage, the works of its artists and craftsmen. This article attempts to analyze the interdependence that could exist between a cultural manifestation, more precisely a festival with its thematic aesthetics specific management and the cultural identity of the city that hosts it. Nowadays, the culture plays the role of helping to convert cities into dynamic and attractive urban centers. It is commendable that this reconversion is also used by smaller towns in order to promote their identity. The phenomenon itself is known as urban marketing and has, among other attributes, the role of imposing a new way of conduct on civil servants and local public authorities. It also makes us have a certain conception of cities - in our case - thanks mainly to cultural history, but also in depending on the cultural policy they pursue, due to the image they want to promote, or through works of art, through the realization of certain artistic projects: festivals, branded cultural events, etc. This is the case of the city of Tournai in Belgium, a border settlement entered into the phenomenon of European metropolisation which leads to the formation of centers composed of networks of metropolises and which become economic, social and political pillars, but also cultural, with a whole administrative dynamic and cultural facilities (cultural centers, museums, theaters, universities, etc.). The biennial festival we are referring to is called ""Découvertes, marionnettes et images"", being the only one in the French-speaking area of Belgium. The reputation of the festival is inevitably associated with the city of Tournai, and this association adds more value, effectively contributing to its image in the region and not only. The cultural identity of the city is linked among other things to the evolution of the festival and vice versa. It is an international festival dedicated to contemporary forms of puppet animation. From the theater of objects, passing through street art, dance or digital art, each edition of the festival gives access to the wealth of contemporary forms of the puppet and marionette as well as their interdisciplinarity. The analysis of the ""Découvertes, images et marionnettes"" festival in this context, taking into account the quoted references and the specific interferences of a research, is all the more complex and revealing at the same time."

Locating state capitalism: Financial centres and the internationalisation of Chinese banks in London

This paper examines the internationalisation of Chinese state-owned commercial banks in London's financial centre from the 2010s onwards. These banks have transformed from primarily servicing Chinese state-owned enterprises to making up four of the largest banks globally by balance sheet and undertaking a range of operations including RMB clearing and cross border settlement and yet their future international trajectory remains uncertain. My analysis positions Chinese bank internationalisation within the wider project of RMB internationalisation, arguing that financial centres can serve as important methodological, empirical and conceptual entry points into understanding how state and market interests play out unevenly across time and space. By focusing on place-based policy experimentation in London, my analysis points to the entangled, multi layered and often contradictory formations of actually existing state capitalism.

Border Settlements of Kazakhstan as an Impulse to Balanced Territorial Development

The article is devoted to the development of the border territories of Kazakhstan, in particular, the study of the border territories of settlements of the North Kazakhstan region. The author presents his own vision of the development of border depressive regions and develops proposals for improving state policy and management of regional development of territorial spaces. An organizational and institutional mechanism for the development of border territories based on the formation of special economic zones as investment and innovation platforms for the development of production and infrastructure facilities is proposed. The problem with the formation of such special zones is the lack of economic resources consisting of production and human potential. The Northern macroregion has great potential in the development of the agro-industrial complex, however, the lack of human resources, due to large migration to neighboring regions of Russia and other regions of Kazakhstan, as well as the deterioration of the socioeconomic situation of the population, due to a lack of investment and budgetary resources, environmental problems can lead to the extinction of many settlements of the North Kazakhstan region. The solution to such problems, while remaining the prerogative of the state, requires their solution at the present moment. The development should be based on cross-border cooperation of neighboring countries based on the modeling of foreign economic relations based on the functional features of borders in the new conditions of cross-border and integration interaction of countries.

Post-Soviet settlement of the Sino-Soviet border: a failed attempt at a three-level game, 1991–2012

ABSTRACT After the fall of the USSR, the newly established republics had to finish negotiating the bilateral border issue with China. These states chose to have the talks as a joint delegation of post-Soviet states. They also each experienced pressure from domestic constituencies. Viewing the entire negotiation process as a three-level game, the paper argues that in all four post-Soviet states the national governments believed the cost of ‘no agreement’ with China on the border issue to be so high that they chose to risk dealing with complex issues at home over passing up the opportunity to settle the border with their strongest neighbour. They did so with little regard for domestic opposition or the restrictions posed by the previous commitments on the supranational level.

LEADERSHIP STYLES OF XI JINPING AND NARENDRA MODI: IMPACT ON THE BORDER ISSUE

Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi are transformative leaders who aspire to leave their names in history. With a strong political portfolio and extensive growth in the economy, they are developing a confident and robust stance towards the role of their country in the global order. The paper aims to analyze the domestic and international strategies of Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi in order to explore the implications of their leadership on the border issue. The paper first explores the theoretical frameworks of leadership studies and their implications for security aspects. Then the contextual and individual characteristics of leaders are assessed. Further, the paper focuses on the foreign policy approaches of both leaders that impact the border issue and prospects for a border settlement. In the conclusion, the author summarizes the possible outcomes of the leaders’ policy on the development of the border issue.

Border Settlement Dynamics and Border Status Quo: A Comparative Analysis of Turkey’s Borders

ABSTRACT There is a plethora of research on border disputes, border dispute resolution, unsettled borders, and artificially drawn borders. Yet, no study has so far been conducted on the comparative analysis of borders settled with mandatory powers and between nation-states. This article fills this research lacuna and makes a novel contribution to border scholarship by exploring the linkages between border settlement dynamics and the border status quo. In analysing and comparing Turkey’s borders drawn between the 1920s and the 1930s, it is shown that Turkey’s Iraqi and Syrian borders settled with mandatory powers (Britain and France respectively) have resulted in the emergence of alternative border imaginations by one of the neighbouring states, albeit without reaching the level of an official demand to change the status quo. Since its independence, Syria has produced an alternative border imagination with respect to its Turkish border by showing Turkey’s Hatay province within its borders in its official maps and documents. Since the cession of Mosul to Iraq, Turkey’s alternative border imagination has taken the form of state actors’ contemplations about resettling the border. In sharp contrast, the Turkish-Iranian border, settled after long consultations between two independent nation-states, effectively resolved boundary-related problems, resulting in the mutual endorsement of the border status-quo. This article concludes that border settlement processes create path-dependent effects that are carried over to subsequent generations of state actors.

Defining the Borderlands: Sino-Soviet Border Talks and the Nationalities Issue (1987–1991)

AbstractIn the 1980s, the Soviet Union and China resurveyed their border in order to restart their long-stalemated border negotiations. These negotiations resulted in only a partial border settlement: the agreement was signed in 1991. By the end of 1989, nationalities openly expressing their wish to secede from the Soviet Union caused the Soviet government to slow down the negotiation process, and Moscow insisted on setting aside the most contentious sections. China’s nationalities issue had the opposite effect on Zhongnanhai: Chinese leaders wished to settle the entire Sino-Soviet border as quickly as possible. However, once the collapse of the Soviet Union became imminent, the Chinese saw advantages of delaying the negotiations on the disputed sections of the border. They calculated that would allow for China to negotiate with weaker, newly independent countries.

The Usage of International Court of Justice in the Field of Border Delimitation Disputes

The paper presents the issues of the peaceful settlement of international border disputes on the delimitation of borders in the International Court of Justice. The definition of an international border dispute on the delimitation of borders is being formulated. It is revealed that the legal means of resolving international border disputes developed by the International Court of Justice influenced the development of international law. It is substantiated that for the effective settlement of border disputes on the delimitation of borders, it is necessity to evaluate the interrelation of territorial, ethnic, historical, social and environmental aspects. The tendencies and factors of development of the law enforcement practice of the International Court of Justice in the field of settlement of border disputes are determined.