The process of European integration is closely linked with how borders are governed. This makes border narratives a revealing lens through which to study stances on European integration and Euroscepticism, including in party politics. This article analyzes how parties in border regions narrated borders during the 2024 European elections, drawing on interviews with candidates and campaigners from four internal EU border regions. Across party families and levels of Euroscepticism, three narratives recur: open internal borders as desirable and beneficial, internal border closures as disruptive of everyday cross-border life, and open internal borders as contingent on stronger control at the EU's external borders. The findings show that internal openness and external control are frequently narrated as mutually dependent. They also suggest that contestation over European integration is often articulated through selective border narratives, in which support for Schengen and free movement can coexist with exclusionary demands for stronger external border control.
This article looks at ABS's evolution thus far with a women and gender lens. We ask: where do women appear in the evolution of the field, and to what extent have border scholars engaged with gender through conference participation and research paper titles that address women and men in the borderlands? We also examine whether the early invisibility of women during the founding period eventually led to the integration of women as leaders and researchers and to the mainstreaming of gender-focused scholarship on the gendered consequences of state policies. In addition, we explore how the ABS faced various crises over time and was sustained by the preparation and skill sets that a cross-section of its presidents brought to the organization.
This paper examines how individuals at a major Southern African border point perceive the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It draws on 23 interviews with customs officers, traders, transporters, and institutional officials to explore their expectations and the conditions shaping readiness at the Oshikango crossing between Namibia and Angola. The findings show that cross-border trade supports local livelihoods; however, most participants were unfamiliar with the AfCFTA beyond what they had heard in general news. Their daily work is shaped by limited facilities, slow procedures, language challenges, and unclear permit rules. Many worried about cheaper imports. The study argues that clearer communication, improved infrastructure, and better coordination between agencies are essential for meaningful progress.
