Lines, traces, and tidemarks : further reflections on forms of border

Abstract

The idea of border as 'line' has attracted a lot of critical attention in borders studies in recent years. Yet the idea of borders as lines still carries considerable power, both conceptually and politically. This chapter takes the persistence of the idea of line in contemporary border politics seriously, while also offering a couple of new ways to think about border dynamics, as 'line' suggests something static. The concept of 'tidemarks' as a way to think about border dynamics was developed in 2009 by the author at the first meeting of the EastBordNet research network (funded by COST as IS0803). That network, which was focusing on the eastern peripheries of Europe and aimed at developing a fresh way to conceptualise border dynamics there, carried on discussing the idea until 2013, when the network's funding ended. Sarah Green carried on thinking about the problem of how to conceptualise 'border' for several years thereafter. This chapter is the outcome of those 8 years of research and thinking, and summarises the idea.