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Questions for Thought and Discussion

• 1. Are borders natural phenomena? (i.e. existing in the world outside of human action)
• a. Why do humans create borders?
• b. Is human territoriality an instinct or learned behavior?
• c. Do animals create borders and boundaries? How do they differ from human borders/boundaries?
• 2. What are some of the general ways the modern notions of borders, territoriality, and sovereignty differ from those in ancient history?
• a.What is the difference between Frontiers and Borders?
• b.What were the key factors in the formation of modern notions of borders?Why were these factors important?
• c. Are borders defined by natural features (like rivers or mountain ranges) better than borders defined by lines of latitude/longitude?
• d.  What is the ‘territorial trap’?
• 3.  What does the concept of sovereignty entail?
• a. Why is sovereignty relevant to the contemporary notion of borders?
• b.  How is this changing in the modern world?
• c.  How are pre-modern notions of territoriality still evident in the modern world?
• d. What are other modes of enacting social control and influence beyond territoriality and the process of bordering?
• 4. What recent news stories illustrate the continuing importance of borders?
• a. What trends are contributing to the reinforcement or hardening of contemporary borders?
• i. What are examples of increasing border permeability in the world today?
• ii. What/who are the most conspicuous border crossers in the world today?
• iii. What is the most prevalent cross border crime in the world today?
• iv. What are the most prevalent trans-border movements and institutions today?
• v.  What were the most prevalent trans-border institutions and movement in history?
• b.  Do modern technologies, like the internet, shipping containers, or airplanes, make border more or less important?


• 5.  Are borders ethical? If not, why? If so, which borders are most ethical?
• a.  Does globalization (in terms of economics, communication, migration, etc) make borders more important or less?
• b.  What are the arguments in favor of an ‘open borders’ policies concerning immigration? Do you agree or disagree?
• c. How do borders relate to nationalism?
• d. Is dual citizenship ethical (by virtue of birth and/or ethnicity some people can be citizens of two states while most people are limited to just one)?
• e.  What are examples of innovations in border management (e.g. passports, biometrics)?
• 6. Is state sovereignty absolute? Should it be?
• a.  How does international law approach the topic of borders?
• b.  In the modern world, how can governments, laws, and citizenship be enacted determined without absolute territorial borders?
• c.  Do border help or hinder law enforcement, including everyday issues like drugs and theft to more extraordinary matters like genocide and human trafficking?
• 7. In what academic disciplines are border studies most applicable? why?
• a.  What are key issues to study at the international scale of borders?
• i.  What are the main issues of maritime borders today?
• ii.  What are the main issues of airspace borders today?
• iii. How has the world dealt with outer-space and borders?
• iv. What are the main issues of cyber borders today?How do borders affect development?
• v. How do borders affect the environment?
• vi.  How do borders affect non-human entities?
• vii. How do borders affect human health?
• viii. How do borders affect international business?
• b.  What are key issues to study at the sub-state level of bordering?
• i.  What are examples of borders/boundaries in urban geography?
• ii.  How do borders affect indigenous peoples?
• iii. Under what circumstances would you like to live in a gated community? An ethnic enclave? A gerrymandered electoral district?
• 8.  How have borders affected your life?

Other books by the authors

• Borderlines and Borderlands: Political Oddities at the Edge of the Nation-State (Rowman & Littlefield, 2010)
• Borders and Boundaries - Oxford Bibliographies Online

Further Reading