070125 PK Projektkurs Globalgeschichte (2017S)

Today the debate about borders is characterized by a deep split between those who promote closed borders and the No border advocates. However, they are united by overestimating borders on the one hand and on the other hand neglecting the variety of functions of borders according to the context. Different groups of society can make different use of borders, claiming and promoting exclusion and inclusion, confrontation and protection, separation and connection. Borders are rather a flexible instrument than a fixed category.

The course aims at identifying and analysing different types of border regimes – including basic boundaries of human civilisation (personality, house, fence, border stone), political borders from the Roman Limes, frontier zones, city walls, state borders and colonial borders to today’s fortresses and their economic, social and cultural implications. We won’t restrict our investigations to visible, obvious borders, however. Borders are also present, when there are no fences. An open border situation is a type of border that can be as effective as a wall.

Borders can be a topic of investigation as well as a method. The methodological aspect requires looking at borders from multiple perspectives: Who is interested in which kind of border, who and what may cross, and in which direction, who and what is restricted, in which respect can borders protect, unite and when do they represent an obstacle? Different borders and border regimes will be compared.