Daily reality and political constructs in border regions. The example of the SaarLorLux Greater Region: Economy – Politics – Everyday life – Culture

In short

How do cross-border regions come about and what characterises them? The 19 contributors to this collection examine the social experience of the EU's internal borders through the example of the SaarLorLux Greater Region. They discuss the practices of institutional actors and inhabitants of border regions in a number of areas: the economy, the job market, political cooperation as well as everyday life, the media and culture. The collection contains 16 contributions in French and German by 19 authors from Germany, France and Luxembourg.

Issues and themes

In border studies a research approach has gained acceptance, which can be described as a "decentration of borders" and which focuses on the social negotiation of borders. And yet often territorial divisions are overlooked as conditions and orientations of social border negotiations. However, the articles in the book take up both the territorial and social dimensions and put them into context.

The book scrutinises the mostly taken-for-granted existence of border regions. To do this, the authors examine cross-border realities and political constructs as space production mechanisms. They provide insights into the discursive and practical constructions of spaces and the logic behind them and into the role of national borders. The interplay between everyday realities and political constructs shows that they often only partially mesh with each other.

This is the first book that deals with the SaarLoxLux Greater Region in such depth and in a scientific way. It can be read as a multi-disciplinary compendium of this border region, but also as a critical approach to cross-border spatial production. The book therefore bundles together new knowledge about the SaarLorLux Greater Region and provides an empirical contribution to border studies.

Milestones

• Scientific reviews Forum für Politik, Gesellschaft und Kultur; disP – The Planning
  Review; Portal für Politikwissenschaft; Hémecht; Berichte. Geography and regional studies
• Book presentations: Maison de la Grande Région (Greater Region House) (LU);  Saarbrücken Town Hall (DE); Messancy Town Hall (BE)
• Press coverage: 100.7 – Radio Luxembourg socio-cultural service; newspapers Lëtzebuerger Journal and Tageblatt

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