BARBED WIRE, BORDER WALLS AND THE ‘ART’ OF FENCING OUT MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES-AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EU AND AMERICAN BORDERING PRACTICES
Corresponding author:
[email protected]
Accepted
29 March 2026
Available Online
15 March 2019
Abstract
SINCE ANTIQUITY BORDERS HAVE GONE THROUGH MAJOR TRANSFORMATIONS, AND IF FOLLOWING THE SIGNING OF THE TREATY OF WESTPHALIA THEIR MAIN PURPOSE WAS TO DELIMIT THE LEGAL JURISDICTION AND SOVEREIGNTY OF A STATE, BY THE 21ST CENTURY FRONTIERS HAVE TURNED INTO SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS WITH BOTH INCLUSIONARY AND EXCLUSIONARY FEATURES. BORDERS CAN HAVE AN INCLUSIONARY ROLE AS WELL, ACTING AS BRIDGES, CONNECTING PEOPLE AND CULTURES FROM THE TWO SIDES O F THE BORDER. HOWEVER, THE CURRENT RESEARCH WISHES TO EXAMINE MAINLY THE EXCLUSIONARY FEATURE OF BORDERS IN RELATION TO IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES BY USING THREE SPECIFIC CASE STUDIES FROM THE EU AND FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ASSESSING WHETHER THE PR OCESS OF FENCING OUT IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES AND OF BUILDING WALLS COULD BE A SOLUTION TO STOP UNWANTED MIGRATION. NAMELY, WE WISH TO SEE WHETHER BORDERS AND WALLS MAKE GOOD NEIGHBOURS OR NOT?
Keywords
CEUTA AND MELILLA
US WALL
SCHENGEN
TECHNICAL FENCE
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