Cross-border Interactions Research Articles

Introduction: Encounters After the Soviet Collapse: The Contemporary Chinese Presence in the Former Soviet Union Border Zone

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the opening up of the former Soviet Union’s borders, cross border interactions between the former Soviet Union states and China have augmented, and particularly the impetus given by the Chinese authorities to the Belt and Road Initiative has increased the presence of various Chinese actors in the countries along China’s western border. Notably, China’s ‘going global’ has received increasingly scholarly attention in the past few years. Hitherto comparative analyses or in-depth case studies on the Chinese presence in the states along China’s western border are yet sparse. By focusing on specific actors and on the ground interactions, this special issue, which includes case studies of the interactions between Chinese and Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Tajik actors, aims to show a) the diversity in scope, actors and modalities of involvement, and b) the sometimes ambiguous goals and interests within China’s going out strategy in the region. At the same time, it aims to present a more close-up study of the responses of the population in the host states. Through a focus on encounters on the ground, imaginaries, and perceptions, we aim to get deeper insights in the character and consequences of China’s involvement in the post-Soviet border region.

Multiple borders of Nagorno-Karabakh

Though the agreement on ceasefire between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops in Nagorno-Karabakh was concluded more than 25 years ago, there is no progress in the negotiations between the sides. The conflict is intrinsically related to the partition of territory between the areas de facto controlled by the non-recognized Republic of NagornoKarabakh, boundaries of which do not match the administrative borders of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region in the Soviet period, and Azerbaijan. This paper considers the geopolitical situation of Nagorno-Karabakh through the lenses of its cross-border interactions and bordering. This notion widely used in contemporary border studies means not only border delimitation and management, but also the constant process of change in their functions, regime, and social importance. Such change can result, for instance, from the transformation of political strategies, shifts on the international arena and bilateral relations, currency exchange rates and global market prices, as well as in the course of the everyday practice and interactions. The authors analyzed first the existing pattern of borders in the context of security. Then they characterized de-bordering and interactions between Nagorno-Karabakh and its patron state, Armenia, describing the adaptation of the Karabakhi population and economy to the lack of international recognition. The demarcation line with Azerbaijan remains one of the rare cases of a completely closed border. One of the main and potentially long-term obstacles in finding a solution is the cultivation of the «image of the enemy» on both sides of this border.

Coastal zones of modern Russia: delimitation, parametrization, identification of determinants and vectors of Eurasian dynamics

The resource potential of the oceans has historically had a fundamental impact on the development and spatial organization of mankind. The role of the «marine factor» in economic activity and the formation of settlement systems has increased even more in the modern period, including in Russia, which has long sea coasts that fulfill the country’s most important transport, communication, economic and resource, residential and military infrastructure functions. Since the mid2000s, in Russia there has been a steady increase in foreign trade activity and the marine economy. The author summarizes and develops theoretical concepts created in Russian science about the functions, boundaries, structure of coastal zones as special geographical areas. Based on GIS analysis and the study of a vast array of demographic and economic statistics, the coastal zone of post-Soviet Russia was delimited. Particular attention is paid to the innovative potential of coastal zones, the features of its localization and formation. It is shown that coastal zones and large cities act as a significant environment for building cross-border interactions in the scientific and innovative sphere. The author argues that a further «shift to the sea» of economic activity and the population of Russia is inevitable. It is provoked by geo-economic and geopolitical changes in modern Eurasia which include the processes of integration and disintegration in the Baltic, Black Sea basin, and the Caspian region, the intensification of geopolitical rivalry in the Arctic, and implementation of the Chinese initiative «One Belt - one Road». However, the development of the country’s coastal zones will be unstable, not universal and will be accompanied by a further concentration of socio-economic potential in the few leading coastal centers - St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Sochi, Vladivostok, Kaliningrad, Makhachkala, etc.

Eurasian Vectors of Maritime Economic Activity of Russia

This article is devoted to the geo-economic processes in modern Eurasia and their impact on the dynamics and localization of marine economic activity in the Russian Federation. The relevance of this issue is associated not only with the increasing influence of the marine factor on the economy and settlement patterns but also with the almost universal projection of the Eurasian integration processes onto regional socio-economic development. Priority is given to the most important trends in the evolution of the Russian marine economy during the post-Soviet period (including its internationalization, structural shift in favor of the port and logistics sector, clustering and concentration in a limited number of development corridors). It is emphasized that the increased marine economic activity not only enhances the conjugation between the coastal and landlocked territories of the country, but also intensifies the cross-border regionalization along the entire contour of its border regions (Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Arctic Sea, and Pacific Russia). It is shown that the formation of ‘Greater Eurasia’ (as a trans-Eurasian mega-project) and Russia’s participation in it as a significant raw material resource and communication-transit territory), and also the consistent inclusion of the coastal (border) regions of the country in the multi-vector cross-border interactions are directly related to a further ‘marinization’ of the socio-economic space of Russia. This requires increased attention to the multiple effects of marine activity (not only economic, but also social, environmental and geopolitical ones).

Cross-border cooperation on the EU-Russian borders: results of the program approach

Cooperation across the Russia-EU border has been drawing much attention in recent years. The majority of studies point out programs’ efficacy, high density of border institutions and resistance to geopolitical risks among other factors. These advancements can be explained by the theory of multilevel collaboration which implies that diverse and multiple cooperation institutions can effectively distinguish matters of high politics from practical issues concerning interests of those living along the external borders.The article aims to analyze the impact of cross-border cooperation programs (CBC Programs) on the thematic, institutional and spatial structure of the cross-border relations.The research is grounded in the overview and analysis of a large volume of empirical data including reports and descriptions of cross-border cooperation programs, data provided by the regional governing agencies, as well as 76 semistructured interviews obtained from regional experts as part of several research expeditions by the Laboratory of Geopolitical Studies of the Institute of Geography RAS taken place over the period from 2011 to 2018.Main characteristics and long-term trends of the cross-border program approach are examined as follows: growth in governmental coordination on various agency levels aimed at development and implementation of mutually beneficial partnerships, creation of joint program management bodies, development of uniform policies and joint funding sources for projects, and interest in maintaining an equal level of collaboration.It is revealed that gradual rise of the programs’ role in cross-border cooperation in the area contributed to the restructuring of its institutional systems, launching selection process for the existing border institutions (euro-regions, crossborder regional councils, and others), as well as triggering the synergy effect among them and the transborder forms of cooperation.The main characteristics of spatial partnership structures are identified. These include those consisting of high concentration of project activities taking place within large urban centers along the external borders and those asymmetrical to cross-border interactions. The former is especially pertinent to the Russian side of the border where just a small number of such centers are involved in up to 70-80% of project activities. Even fewer number of Russian cities initiate their own collaborative projects. A gradual spatial shift of cooperative projects toward the areas immediately proximate to the borders, as well as the decrease in asymmetry of transborder cooperation are identified as the new trends by the author.

The potential for development of Russian-Polish cross-border region

The problems of the formation of international regions on the borders of Russian Federation and EU countries after the deterioration of relations between them in 2014 became more complicated due to the reduction of mutual economic, social, political and other cross-border ties. However, such links remain, especially at the local level, as both sides benefit from them. Polish and Russian authors are trying to find common approaches in assessing the situation and explaining the need in the development of relations between cities, territories and businesses located on both sides of the border, which contributes to the formation of cross-border regions. The authors use literature, materials of cross-border cooperation programs and their own research experience, identifying factors and features of cross-border interactions at the Russian-Polish border. The article presents a SWOT analysis of the formation of the Russian-Polish cross-border region – a comparison, on the one hand, of strengths and weaknesses, and on the other, opportunities and threats to its development. It is shown that in 2014–2019 political factors prevailed over socio-economic ones, which negatively affected the development of the regions along the border. Nevertheless, in 2018 the implementation of joint projects within the framework of the Russia-Poland cross-border cooperation program co-financed by the EU and both countries continued. Although the number of mutual crossings of the border has decreased, it remains quite important. In Kaliningrad, there is a Polish visa center that promptly issues Schengen visas, free of charge for scientists and teachers, students and some other categories of the population. In the summer 2019, free electronic visas were established in Kaliningrad region, which increased the influx of tourists, including Polish. The authors hope that the objective laws of the world market will lead to the intensification of mutual relations and the formation of the Russian-Polish cross-border region, which would contribute to increasing the international competitiveness of its parts on both sides of the border.

Marine Spatial Planning and sustainability: Examining the roles of integration - Scale, policies, stakeholders and knowledge

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) has been heralded as the key means of achieving a more integrated approach to marine use across sectors and spatial scales. Achieving greater integration and coherence in MSP governance arrangements is seen as a way to resolve current problems of marine governance (such as fragmentation) and address future resource demands in a sustainable way. However, there is a lack of clarity and consensus in practice regarding sustainability in MSP, both in terms of MSP governance practices and sustainable resource use. For example, how are we to treat the environment in MSP? Should we conceive the environment as just another sector with interests to be negotiated, or as the very boundary condition that limits possibilities for maritime activities and developments? How do we integrate diverse views on this in MSP decision-making? This is but one example of an integration challenge in MSP important for sustainability. There are numerous others. Integration is intimately connected to the ability of MSP to deliver sustainable marine resource use at various levels and scales. The roles of integration are diverse and interconnected, including those that affect social-ecological integration or land-sea interaction, but also aspects of good governance and social sustainability. The latter include inter-sectoral decisionmaking, stakeholder engagement, cross-border interaction and knowledge pluralism. How integration is exercised in these procedural aspects of MSP is likely to substantively affect outcomes both in terms of sustainable blue growth or the ability to deliver an ecosystem-based approach. Integration as a policy and analytical problem to be addressed has also been discussed elsewhere – most saliently in the fields of sustainable development, ICZM, environmental policy integration, planning theory and socio-ecological systems. While there has been some work on integration in MSP, additional insight is needed: to better empirically ground the roles of integration in MSP, to understand the multidimensionality and interdependencies of integration dimensions and to unpack what ‘balance’ might mean for understanding and pursuing sustainability in different MSP contexts.In response, this special issue aims to explore the roles, problems and opportunities of various types of integration in relation to MSP's sustainability ambitions.

The Construction of the Great Synagogue in Stockholm, 1860–1870: A Space for Jewish and Swedish-Christian Dialogues

The construction of the Great Synagogue in Stockholm during the 1860s initiated Jewish communal debates on the position and public presence of Jews in the Swedish pre-emancipatory society. An investigation into the construction process not only reveals various Jewish opinions on the sacred building, but also the pivotal role of Swedish-Christian actors in shaping the synagogue’s location, architecture, and the way it was presented in the public narrative. The Jewish community’s conceptualization and the Swedish society’s reception of the new synagogue turned it into a space on the ‘frontier.’ Conceptually situated in-between the Jewish community and the Swedish-Christian society, it encouraged cross-border interactions and became a physical product of the Jewish and Swedish-Christian entangled relationship. Non-Jewish architect Fredrik Wilhelm Scholander, historical figures prominent in the Swedish national narrative, and local and national newspapers were incorporated by the Jewish lay leadership into the creative process, and they influenced and circulated the community’s self-understanding as both Swedish citizens and Jews of a modern religion. The construction process and final product strategically communicated Jewish belonging to the Swedish nation during the last decade of social and legal inequality, thus adding to the contemporary political debate on Jewish emancipation.

Bridges across borders: A clustering approach to support EU regional policy

We present a methodology to analyse high resolution population and transport data in order to assess cross-border connectivity within the European Union. Transport infrastructure can strongly influence cross-border interactions as well as regional, urban or local development. The analysis is carried out using a policy perspective, with network efficiency as the main indicator of accessibility. The aim is to allow the quantification of the quality of cross-border road connections and the identification of areas where infrastructure improvements can lead to higher benefits. We propose a machine learning approach that combines cell level route assignment and k-means clustering at a fine −1 square km- population grid. The outputs cover all internal EU land borders and consist of sets of spatial clusters that meet user-defined policy criteria. The results can be used as input for investment decisions and can be easily combined with other policy support tools for tailored multi-criteria analysis.

The role of language connectedness in reducing home bias in trade, investment, information, and people flows

This study introduces the concept of a country’s language connectedness (LC), namely, the extent to which the country is connected to the rest of the world in terms of the number of potential communicative partners. LC depends on the extent to which the country’s languages are spoken outside that country. Operationalizing and constructing an index capturing LC, I empirically show that a country’s LC is strongly associated with its globalization level. This effect is particularly strong in cross-border trade and investment and information flows. I also find that countries with languages belonging to large linguistic families (i.e., countries with greater linguistic connectedness) are more globalized. This study presents language barriers as a key contributor to home bias, that is, the tendency toward more within-border than cross-border interactions.

Ethnic Communities and their Cross Border Interactions: A Study of the Dalus of Indo-Bangladesh Border

Ethnic Communities and their Cross Border Interactions: A Study of the Dalus of Indo-Bangladesh Border

Cross-border interaction: A study on the three border villages along the Indo-Myanmar border of Arunachal Pradesh

Cross-border interaction: A study on the three border villages along the Indo-Myanmar border of Arunachal Pradesh

Sustainable development of the Russian-Ukrainian border zone cities

The article discusses one of the burning issues of increasing the efficiency of local self-government, namely, the introduction of effective practices for sustainable development of border zone cities. The study actualizes the concept of social chronotope in the context of the study of sustainable development of small and medium-sized cities of the Russian-Ukrainian border region, which allows us to understand the nature of sustainable development of cities, the prospects for cross-border development and interaction. Based on the interpretation of the results of the questionnaire survey, an assessment was made of the standard of living of the population in medium and small cities of border regions, a management system in small and medium cities of the border region. The foundations of the integrated and sustainable development of medium and small cities of the border regions were also identified, the main directions and projects of cross-border cooperation were identified. A group of researchers concluded that, while ensuring the sustainable development of small and medium-sized cities of the Russian-Ukrainian border zone region, it is necessary to take into account the asynchrony of social processes in a single territory in the past, the formation of a special culture with relatively independent values and attitudes, as well as the possibility of using the potential of border zone territories.

СТРАТЕГИИ ОСМЫСЛЕНИЯ И РЕПРЕЗЕНТАЦИИ ТРАНСГРАНИЧНЫХ ТЕРРИТОРИЙ СИБИРИ В ОЧЕРКАХ Н.А. КОСТРОВА

The article discusses the problem of understanding and representation of the crossborder territories of Siberia in Nikolay Kostrov’s essays as laying a foundation for the theory and methodology of cross-border studies. The author analyzes descriptions of cross-border territories that are numerous in Kostrov’s publications, Kostrov’s ideas about the border, cross-border territories and their functions, the models and types of cross-border interactions Kostrov created, and the life styles of the population of these territories. The author proves that Kostrov’s essays on the problems of the cross-border territories of Siberia fit into the context of the then contemporary studies and clearly show that it is mechanisms of influence of the spatial conditions of cross-border territories (resulting from the features of climate, geographical location, historical development) on the behavior of people living and migrating there, rather than the territories themselves, that are significant for analysis. Concretizing the problem of strategies for understanding cross-border territories laid down in Kostrov’s essays, one should first note his attention to the formation and development of cross-border spaces, which is in demand and updated within the framework of modern sociology of space and cultural geography. The algorithm of stating and understanding the problem that Kostrov proposed (taking into account the essay nature of his articles intended for the general reader) includes: (1) representation of empirical material about cross-border space, often collected by Kostrov himself during his trips to Siberia or gleaned from authoritative sources; (2) typification and classification of cross-border spaces based on a certain system of signs (symbols, concepts): river, road, border, mountains, etc. Kostrov’s essays mainly describe practices of cross-border interactions, for he sees cross-border territories as a localization of sociocultural ties and relations of residents of such regions. rather than as a geographical and geopolitical space. This allows building a dialogue of cultures and preserving one’s identity. In general, it can be argued that Kostrov made a significant contribution to the initial stage of the formation of the methodology for the study of cross-border territories on the Siberian material. This stage was characterized by the coexistence of approaches already tested by researchers from Western Europe and Central Russia and new theories. In particular, Kostrov organically combines historical-geographical and partly political-economic approaches with anthropological ones. He thus strengthens the understanding of cross-border territories as sociocultural phenomena that are constantly changing and developing (and these are the essential features of the Siberian cross-border region according to Kostrov), and, accordingly, emphasizes the significance of an interdisciplinary approach to their understanding and representation.

Развитие институциональных форм участия регионов в процессах евразийской интеграции на примере Республики Татарстан

Ways to develop institutions for support and coordination the international cooperation of Russian regions are studied. It has been established that competences of the Russian Federation constituent entities in the field of external relations are most fully delivered in the post-Soviet space. It is concluded that regions can develop new practices of cross-border interaction in the process of interstate integration in the Eurasian space.

Espacios de interacción transfronteriza articulados por afiliación religiosa. Un acercamiento etnográfico desde la vida socio-religiosa de mujeres zapotecas evangélicas en Ensenada, Baja California

The purpose of this article is to analyze the conformation of cross-border interaction spaces articulated by religious affiliation, between a congregation of Zapotec evangelical women in the city of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, and religious organizations and evangelical churches from the state of California, United States. The methodological approach is qualitative. Ethnographic data from 2017 and 2018 are analyzed. The originality of this work lies in showing how cross-border spaces can be built by religious affiliation, which transcends ethnic identifications and links different actors, despite the current and difficult socio-political context of the Mexico-United States border.

Escalas Econômicas e Regiões Transfronteiriças na América Latina / Economic Scales and Cross-border Regions in Latin America

Considerando as regiões em sua condição multidimensional e como peças inseparáveis da geografia do desenvolvimento desigual capitalista, o presente artigo tem por objetivo discutir e propor uma tipologia de situações de um das modalidades de regionalização que melhor sinaliza os processos de territorialização neoliberal: as regiões transfronteiriças (RTF) internacionais, especialmente da América Latina. O artigo sintetiza dois exemplos de tipologia de interação transfronteiriça, o do Grupo Retis (2005) e ode Oliveira (2005), que servem como referência de comparação para a nossa proposta de uma nova tipologia, que diferencia regiões a) consuetudinárias, b) autocontidas, c) corredores e d) globalizadas. A partir das características próprias das dinâmicas fronteiriças na região, propõe-se essa tipologia flexível das regiões transfronteiriças latino-americanas, com base em um perfil específico, que deriva das conexões econômicas que regem o âmbito dos intercâmbios comerciais desses espaços.

The Iranian Kurds’ transnational links: impacts on mobilization and political ambitions

ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact that cross-border contacts and ideals of transnational Kurdish community have on Kurds in Iran. Incorporating survey and interview data from Iranian Kurdish academics, journalists and activists, it analyses how events in the broader Kurdistan region, and the notion of Kurdayetî – pan-Kurdish identity – are perceived by Kurds and how these phenomena affect the Kurdish issue. Within the context of long-standing political grievances, the findings highlight an atmosphere of distrust pervading the relationship between the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Kurds, and reveals that as Kurds find it difficult to identify with the Iranian state they turn towards their cross-border ethnic kin. Yet, despite increasing cross-border interaction and recent advances for Syrian and Iraqi Kurds, internal and external dynamics curtail Iranian Kurds' political ambitions and preclude secessionist impulses.

Head, Heart, or Hands: How Do Employees Respond to a Radical Global Language Change over Time?

To understand how recipients respond to radical change over time across cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions, we conducted a longitudinal study of a mandated language change at a Chilean subsidiary of a large U.S. multinational organization. The engineering-focused subsidiary aiming to facilitate cross-border interactions embedded language-acquisition experts to transition all employees from Spanish to English full time. We gathered survey data and objective fluency scores from the language change recipients at five points over a period of two years. Using variable- and person-centered exploratory analyses, our results suggest that recipients’ negative affective responses to the language change precede their cognitive responses or self-efficacy, predicting their current language learning. Further, we find that recipients’ cognitive and affective responses over time differentially influence two future behavioral outcomes: intention to leave the organization and willingness to adopt the change. Although cognitive rather than affective responses over time drive recipients’ intentions to leave, affective responses influence recipients’ willingness to adopt English. Finally, we show that change recipients followed three trajectories of cognitive responses and two trajectories of affective responses over time. We discuss theoretical and practical implications to the literature on organizational change, emotions, and language in global organizations.

The Ottoman Enlightenment: Geography and Politics in the Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Ottoman Empire

This article investigates the close relationship between geographical knowledge and imperial politics in the Ottoman Empire during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Through an analysis of an anonymous portolan chart from 1652 and geographical accounts of Katip Çelebi, Ebu Bekir b. Behram el-Dimaşki and Osman b. Abdülmennan, it examines the circulation of ‘geography’ and ‘geographical knowledge’ in the Ottoman Empire during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In doing so, it aims to integrate the Ottoman Empire into the recently developing historical treatment of Enlightenment as a response to cross-border interaction and global integration. According to the traditional understanding, Ottoman involvement with modern science and technology did not begin until the nineteenth century when the Ottoman state enacted a series of reforms in education, economy, and military. This article aims to challenge this traditional understanding and argues that Ottoman ruling elites and scholars did indeed participate in intellectual discussions and political developments of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The knowledge exchange between the Ottoman geographers and their European contemporaries during this period laid the foundations of what I call ‘the Ottoman Enlightenment.’ The works discussed in this article informed the Ottoman imperial court and literate urbanites of the changes in the spatial understanding of the world and of the universe while also helping them to reevaluate the role of the Ottoman Empire globally during a period typically regarded as the beginning of Ottoman decline.