Lebenswirklichkeiten und politische Konstruktionen in Grenzregionen. Das Beispiel der Großregion SaarLorLux. Wirtschaft – Politik – Alltag – Kultur

Border Region

Greater Region SaarLorLux

Language(s)

Français

Allemand

Type

Note on a scientific book publication

Main Category

Regional Development – Sustainability

Employment – Education – Economy

Governance – Power – Cooperation

Language – Culture – Identity

Theories – Concepts – Terms

Introduction

In this anthology, the example of the SaarLorLux Greater Region will be used to answer the question of how cross-border regions emerge and what characterizes them.

Summary

In this anthology, the authors examine how cross-border regions emerge and what characterizes them. The practices of institutional participants and border area residents in the fields of the labor market, economy, political cooperation, media, everyday life and culture will be analyzed and discussed.

Content

The anthology contains a variety of concrete contributions on the realities of life and political constructions in the SaarLorLux Greater Region. Researchers from various disciplines contribute to the following topics: Economy and labor market, governance and cross-border cooperation, everyday practices and identities, media, art and cross-border cultural policy. Christian WILLE discusses the naming of the region in the introduction “Zur Einleitung: Lebenswirklichkeiten und politische Konstruktionen in Grenzregionen” (As an Introduction: The Realities of Life and Political Constructions in Border Regions) and emphasizes that “the analysis of cross-border areas must follow a multi-level logic, namely the territorial order of nation-state division on the one hand and the spatial formation of social practice on the other” (p. X). In the chapter on the economy and the cross-border labor market, HELFER and DÖRRENBÄCHER discuss the history of the region, dealing with industrialization and joint and individual developments since the crisis in the coal and steel sector. While Malte HELFER deals with the economic-historical and economic-geographical developments and describes them vividly in his contribution “Die Industrialisierung der Großregion SaarLorLux” (The Industrialization of the SaarLorLux Greater Region), DÖRRENBÄCHER shows the economic structural change in the SaarLorLux area. Towards the end of his contribution “Ein grenzüberschreitender Wirtschaftsraum? Gemeinsame und individuelle Entwicklungen seit der Krise des Montansektors” (A Cross-Border Economic Area: Joint and Individual Developments Since the Crisis in the Coal and Steel Sector), the author addresses the question of whether the SaarLorLux region is a joint economic region. He writes that this concept can be adhered to and stresses that the region is characterized by heterogeneity and the exchange processes based upon it. The article "Un marché de l'emploi intégré ? L'emploi frontalier et ses dimensions socio-économiques" by Rachid BELKACEM and Isabelle PIGERON-PIROTH on cross-border employment and its socio-economic dimensions rounds off the chapter. The authors discuss the profiles and everyday life of commuters in the main area close to the border. In the focus area “Governance and Cross-Border Employment,” Franz CLÉMENT begins with an overview of the political institutions, competencies and cooperation in the SaarLorLux Greater Region (La représentation politique dans la Grande Région SaarLorLux: institutions, compétences et coopérations). In “Vers une région métropolitaine polycentrique ? Enjeux d'un aménagement du territoire transfrontalier” Estelle EVRARD and Christian SCHULZ emphasize the need for coordinated spatial development in the sub-regions. Legal, cultural and linguistic differences make this task difficult. Using the example of the Metroborder strategy “cross-border polycentric metropolitan region,” they discuss challenges, steps already taken and the goals of the project. In her essay “Alle an einem Strang? Zur Rolle von Identitäten und Stereotypen in der grenzüberschreitenden Kooperation” (Everyone on the Same Page? On the Role of Identities and Stereotypes in Cross-Border Cooperation) Antje SCHÖNWALD characterizes eight types of Greater Region identities.

In his essay “Grenzüberschreitende Alltagspraktiken in der Großregion SaarLorLux: eine Bestandsaufnahme” (Cross-Border Everyday Practices in the Greater SaarLorLux Region: A Review), Christian WILLE deals with everyday practices carried out by the residents of Saarland, Lorraine, Luxembourg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Wallonia in a country other than the one they live in. In the article “Die Großregion SaarLorLux zwischen Vision und Wirklichkeit: grenzüberschreitende Alltagspraktiken und Raumbilder von Jugendlichen” (The Greater Region SaarLorLux Between Vision and Reality: Cross-Border Everyday Practices and Spatial Perceptions of Young People) Gundula SCHOLZ elaborates on the boundaries of the Greater Region of young inhabitants of the region and proposes recommendations for action to strengthen the regional identity. Residential migration from Luxembourg to four German border communities is the focus of Elisabeth BOESEN's and Gregor SCHNUER's text “Wohnen jenseits der Grenze. Regionale Integration und ihre lokalen Verwirklichungen” (Living Across the Border. Regional Integration and its Local Realities).

In the section “Media Practices and Cross-Border Public Media” Elena KREUTZER provides a content analysis of migrants in the highest-circulation daily newspapers in Saarland, Lorraine and Luxembourg in her article “Grenzüberschreitende Medienöffentlichkeiten? Zur Berichterstattung im SaarLorLux-Raum am Beispiel von ›Migration‹” (Cross-Border Public Media? On Reports in the SaarLorLux area using the example of ‘Migration’). Vincent GOULET and Christoph VATTER discuss the cross-border circulation of information in "L'espace médiatique transfrontalier : médias, flux d'informations et pratiques journalistiques".

In the topic area “Art and Cross-Border Cultural Policy” Monika SONNTAG comes to the conclusion that cultural policy design in the Greater Region should take greater account of existing socio-spatial disparities and borders in her contribution “»Für uns ist die grenzüberschreitende Zusammenarbeit eine Selbstverständlichkeit ...« – die Großregion SaarLorLux aus Sicht von Kulturakteuren” (“For Us Cross-Border Cooperation is a Matter of Course ...". – The SaarLorLux Greater Region from the Perspective of Cultural Participants). In the essay “Stratégies et dispositifs culturels dans la construction d'un espace culturel. Les politiques muséales de Luxembourg et Grande Région – Capitale européenne de la culture 2007” Gaëlle CRENN reports on the development of cross-border cultural policies and cooperation arrangements. Eva MENDGEN's contribution “Europäische Kulturgemeinschaft: Kristallglasmacher in der Großregion – Grande Région: une communauté culturelle du savoir-faire” (European Cultural Community: Crystal Glass Makers in the Greater Region – Grande Région: une communauté culturelle du savoir-faire) deals with a craft that can look back on a long common history in the research area.

In her concluding article “Die Großregion SaarLorLux: Lebenswirklichkeiten und politische Konstruktionen” (The SaarLorLux Greater Region: Realities of Life and Political Constructions) Birte NIENABER emphasizes that some contributions suggest “that the realities of life tend to take place along the border, whereas the political constructions tend to tend to extend over the entire area of the SaarLorLux Greater Region” (p. 312). The question is raised as to the impact of the reform of regional planning in France and the inclusion of the Brussels-Capital Region in the SaarLorLux Greater Region.

Conclusions

With regard to the economic development of the region, the respective authors state that the different economic development has spurred on the exchange. The SaarLorLux Greater Region can be described as a cross-border economic region that exists and is lived in the reality of life of its residents. However, further measures, such as improving mobility conditions, are needed to create an integrated labor market.

In the area of governance and cross-border cooperation, it becomes clear that the organizational and administrative structures in the nation states are very different and still have a nation-state character. The creation of the EGTC (European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation) and the GIS-GR (Geographical Information System of the Greater Region) platform represent the first efforts towards institutionalization. Additional independent bodies could contribute to stability. Depending on the professional or private context, other sub-identities may emerge in addition to national identities.

The SaarLorLux Greater Region constitutes a cross-border reality of the lives of its residents and of their everyday practices (e.g. everyday mobility, shopping activities, tourist activities, personal activities). Right at the beginning of the chapter on cross-border everyday practices and identities, however, the problem of naming the region is also addressed. An additional contribution recommends the expansion of regional location marketing to strengthen the regional identity. In addition, proposals for cooperation between administrative units are presented. The example of residential migration in the region illustrates that there is an enormous socio-cultural differentiation in the region.

In the chapter on media practices and cross-border media audiences, the authors come to the conclusion that the cross-border media exchange of information and opinions is only weakly developed and, in this respect, “the SaarLorLux region as a reality of life is only implied to a certain extent” (p. 322). Without a common media space, it is difficult to inform the residents of the region about cross-border institutions and policies. However, new media and communication channels offer an opportunity for interregional integration.

In the following articles on culture, it becomes clear that cultural policy “should not only be thought of and coordinated across borders, but should also be understood as a social policy that includes all areas of society” (p. 270). The article “Luxemburg und Großregion: Kulturhauptstadt Europas 2007” (Luxembourg and the Greater Region: European Cultural Capital 2007) shows how a common space of belonging could be created while still maintaining the special cultural and linguistic characteristics. At the end of the chapter, the glass industry is discussed as a cultural community in Robert Schuman’s interpretation, “which is aware of the sense of belonging across cultural borders and which lives, asserts and defends this togetherness” (p. 305). This could provide suggestions for cross-border cooperation. In the final analysis it becomes clear once again that the realities of the inhabitants’ lives tend to take place along the border, while the political constructions, on the other hand, tend to extend over the entire area of the Greater Region.

Key Messages

The territorial extension of the region is a major point of discussion. • The different economic development in the region is a stimulus for exchange. • Additional measures are needed to create an integrated labor market.
The organizational and administrative structures in the nation states are very different.
Depending on the professional or private context, other sub-identities may emerge in addition to national identities.
The SaarLorLux Greater Region constitutes a cross-border reality of the lives of its residents and of their everyday practices
The problem of naming continues to exist. In order to strengthen the regional identity, more regional location marketing is recommended.
There is an enormous socio-cultural differentiation in the region.
The cross-border media exchange of information and opinions has not been strongly developed. However, new media and communication channels offer an opportunity for interregional integration.
Cultural policy should also be understood as a “social policy that includes all areas of society” (p. 270). As a cultural community, the glass industry can offer ideas for cross-border cooperation.
The realities of the inhabitants’ lives take place along the border, while the political constructions tend to extend over the entire area of the Greater Region.

Lead

Christian Wille

Contributions

The volume contains contributions by 19 authors from Germany, France, and Luxembourg. The majority oft he authors collaborates within the framework of the UniGR-Center for Border Studies.

Christian Wille

Malte Helfer

Peter Dörrenbächer

Rachid Belkacem

Isabelle Pigeron-Piroth

Franz Clément

Estelle Evrard

Christian Schulz

Antje Schönwald

Gundula Scholz

Elisabeth Boesen

Gregor Schnuer