As Europe became more unified, Germany made strides in overcoming the country’s division and the processes of globalisation became all-pervasive, the last few decades have been characterised by increasingly disappearing boundaries. This development now seems to have stalled. The major migration movements of the last few years, the annexation of Crimea in contravention of international law, the Brexit vote, the proliferation of isolationist voices within and outside Europe – however different these phenomena may be in principle, they have one thing in common: they illustrate that borders and boundaries still have considerable significance.
Show table of contentsBorders - International Reports
Borders
Content
Borders
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Editorial
The major migration movements of the last few years, the annexation of Crimea in contravention of international law, the Brexit vote, the proliferation of isolationist voices within and outside Europe – however different these phenomena may be in principle, they have one thing in common: they illustrate that borders and boundaries still have considerable significance.
Other Topics
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Cross-Border Cooperation: Now More Than Ever!
An Interjection
Roman Herzog, the recently deceased former Federal President, warned us twenty years ago: “Isolationism and expansion are paths of the past, and that is where retreading those paths would lead.” One can hardly repeat this admonition loudly enough today as concerns about a significant slowing of global trade, or even a “reversal of globalisation”, and the emergence of new political conflicts characterise the international climate.
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Fortress Europe?
The Aegean Sea Frontier and the Strengthening of EU’s External Borders
The refugee and migrant crisis has fundamentally tested the added value and legitimacy of the EU. Currently, a migratory realpolitik prevails as divisions among member states challenge solidarity and respect for European values. Against this backdrop, the main question remains as to whether the Union can provide more effective management of migration and offer reassurances to its citizens in times of heightened insecurity.
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New “Borders” in Eastern Europe
Ukraine since the Annexation of Crimea and the Outbreak of the Conflict in the Donbass
The principle of border inviolability within Europe was put into question in 2014 with the Russian annexation of Crimea and the breakout of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. These events created two new “borders” in Eastern Europe: one de-facto national border in the case of Crimea and a frozen frontline in the case of the occupied territories in the Donbass. Both came into being in contravention of international law and are negatively impacting people in Ukraine.
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Walls Against Migration?
About Perceived Truth in the U.S. Migration Debate and the Effectiveness of Border Protection Measures
Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border shines a spotlight on the issue of border protection. This article investigates how effectively walls and border control measures reduce unwanted migration flows, compared to efforts to fight root causes, and analyses as to why new migration trends in the United States and Mexico are being neglected in the U.S. debate.
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Between Conflict and Integration
Border Governance in Africa in Times of Migration
In Africa, Border governance plays an important role in conflict management as well as economic integration. However, despite increasing recognition of the need to effectively manage and govern borders, the efforts undertaken to date at the multilateral level have been undermined for various reasons.
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Showdown Ahead?
Border Conflicts in the South China Sea and the Struggle to Shape Asia’s Destiny
The struggle over the South China Sea is a matter of international peace and prosperity. China claims sovereignty over some 90 per cent of the South China Sea with the nine-dash line and is therefore a threat to peace and free trade in the region. This article sheds light on how recent developments such as the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the presidency of Donald Trump might impact the status quo.
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From Cyberspace to Outer Space
International Politics in Seemingly Boundless Spaces
The earth has not been a suitable projection screen for the idea of boundlessness for some time. In humanity’s search for spaces without boundaries, our eyes turn to the stars on the one hand and to the virtual world on the other. But to what extent are these spheres really free of boundaries?
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Government Formation by Consensus?
Monarchy, Democracy and Political Islam in Morocco
Since the constitutional reform and 2011 elections, Morocco’s political reform course has continued to stabilise. However, is there any democratic foundation for this stability? Do the political parties form a democratic force that could lead the population through a necessary transformation process? And how “moderate” are the Islamists who were in power during the last election period?
About this series
International Reports (IR) is the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's periodical on international politics. It offers political analyses by our experts in Berlin and from more than 100 offices across all regions of the world. Contributions by named authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editorial team.
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Editor
Dr. Gerhard Wahlers
ISBN
0177-7521
Benjamin Gaul
Head of the Department International Reports and Communication
