This book explores how identities, public spheres and collective memories are being transformed in cross-border areas, contributing to the broad sociological context of Europeanization. Offering case studies on the German-Czech-Austrian, and Czech-Polish-German borderlands, the book introduces original primary data on cross-border cooperation. This data is interpreted using the concept of active borders, which approaches borders as a source of multicultural competence and cognitive capacity. In turn, the authors argue that Europeans need to treat borders, both territorial and symbolic, as specific cultural forms. Active borders allow an unprecedented level of cross-border cooperation and integration, and foster a better understanding of differences, rather than re-embedding them or constructing others. Accordingly, the authors contend that active borders promote more dynamic, open and resilient societies, and represent crucial prerequisites for the success of the European integration project.
Author(s): Karel B. Müller
Series: Contributions to Political Science
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 154
City: Cham
Prologue: Identities—Memories—Languages—Borders
Contents
Introduction: Euroregions, Active Borders, and Europeanization
1 Why Nisa and Šumava Euroregions?
2 Structure and Methodology
Active Borders and the Europeanization of the Public Sphere: How the Same Can Be Different and Vice Versa
1 Forms, Functions, and Changing Borders
2 Active Borders, Collective Identities, and Cultural Encounters
3 Active Borders and Positive Identities
4 Active Border, Our Unknown, and Civic Learning—Towards Democratic Integration
5 Active Borders, European Public Sphere, and Illustrative Support
6 Distinctioning Without Distanciating (Summary)
Borders and Identity. The Place Where Europe Lives!
1 Demarcation of Surveyed Area, Data Sources, and Research Methodology
2 Borders in Perception of Key Actors of Cross-border Cooperation
3 Cross-border Cooperation and Typology of Mayors
3.1 Passive Pessimists (Cluster 1)
3.2 Passive Optimists (Cluster 2)
3.3 Active Optimists (Cluster 3)
3.4 Pragmatic Pessimists (Cluster 4)
4 Identity of Mayors as Key Prerequisite for Active Borders
4.1 The Roads to Europe Lead Across Borders: Summary
Borders and Language. Minor Misunderstandings, Big Troubles, and the Fruits of Multilingualism
1 Demand for European Citizenship, or Zoon Politikon and Art of Agreement
2 Linguistic Asymmetry, or Why Germans Should also Move a Little Towards the Other Side
3 Language Killer, or How to Get Along with Your Neighbors
4 Europeanization of Homeland and Living World
5 Language Immersion—A Lot Can Be Achieved Through Children
6 Best Practices in Education of Language and Culture of Neighbors
6.1 Saxony Regional Office for Early Childhood Education in Neighboring Languages (LaNa)
6.2 Schkola
6.3 Bavaria: Gastschuljahr and Sprachkompetenzzentrum
7 Barriers to Bilingual Education in Cross-Border Euroregions
8 Linguistic Asymmetry and Lower Austrian Offensive, or Sorry, But Everyone Should Know How to Say “Hello” and “Thanks”
9 Administrative and Legislative Obstacles, or Strike Until They Give Up
10 Lack of Interest Versus European Citizenship, or Wanting to Belong to That Environment
11 Linguistic Hospitality. Notes on the Landscape’s Europeanization
12 Summary, or If We Lose This, We Lose a Lot of Our Humanity
Borders and Memory. From Historical Roots to Dialogical-Like Routes
1 Dialogical Remembering as a Prerequisite of Active Borders
2 Methodology of Research on Collective Memory in Euroregions
3 Agents of Cross-Border Cooperation and Reflection Thereof on Past
4 Dealing with Past as Generational Question
5 Conflicting Memories. Barriers or Catalysts for Cross-Border Cooperation?
6 Europeanization of Memory Between Dialogue of Memories and Happy Oblivion (Summary)
Conclusion or I Ja Za Tobą Polak
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
