APTA Research Group - Cross-Border Territorial Studies (original) (raw)
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This contribution applies the Territorialist Approach (TA) in order to analyse cross-border cooperation in two areas located along the Eastern French-Spanish border. TA is an innovative, multidisciplinary and culturally oriented approach for territorial studies, which is rooted in the Italian school of geography. According to this approach, " territory " is perceived as the result of a longstanding cyclical process of interaction between human settlements and the environment, whereby each civilization 'stores' a set of tangible (artefacts) as well as intangible (meanings, values and symbols) assets that drive local relations and shape the local identity (the milieu). Therefore, we regard cross-border territories as complex territorial units, wherein geographical, socioeconomic and cultural patterns have been affected by the evolution of border functions and by the changes in national, international and sub-national policies. In this sense, local cross-border networks, both formal and informal, contribute in keeping a shared local milieu. At the same time, in Europe, local Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) is boosted by European integration processes by means of political, financial and legal support. It represents an opportunity for local agents to develop joint actions for the endogenous enhancement of the borderland. In this sense, the local milieu represents a very important factor for generating local development. The two case studies were conducted in Cerdanya and the Coast of Albera Marítima (CAM). Our analysis on Cerdanya demonstrates how community-led initiatives, which are based on local needs and the shared territorial capital, represent a feasible alternative for local development. The case of the Albera is geographically even more peripheral, wherein the absence of stable cross-border local networks, on the one hand, and of feasible CBC projects, on the other, exacerbates its geographic remoteness and the anthropic pressures on the fragile coastal environment. Zusammenfassung Örtliche grenzüberschreitende Zusammenarbeit als Ter-ritorialstrategie für Grenzregionen? Untersuchung von zwei Fallstudien entlang der östlichen Grenze zwischen Frankreich und Spanien unter Verwendung des territori-alen Ansatzes Der Beitrag befasst sich mit dem Territorialansatz in der Rau-mentwicklung zur Untersuchung der grenzübergreifenden Zusammenarbeit in zwei Gebieten an der östlichen franzö-sisch-spanischen Grenze. Es ist ein neuer, fachübergreifender und kulturorientierter Ansatz für Studien zur Raumentwick-lung, der seine Wurzeln in der italienischen Geographieschule hat. Danach ist " Territorium " das Ergebnis eines lange wäh-renden zyklischen Prozesses des Zusammenspiels zwischen menschlichen Siedlungen und der Umgebung, wobei jede Zivi-lisation eine Reihe von materiellen (Artefakte) und immateri-ellen (Bedeutungen, Werte und Symbole) Werten bewahrt, die die lokalen Beziehungen fördert und die lokale Identität (das Milieu) formt. Deshalb sehen wir Grenzregionen als komplizier-te räumliche Einheiten, in denen geographische, sozio-ökono-mische und kulturelle Verhaltensmuster durch die Entwicklung von Grenzfunktionen und Veränderungen der nationalen, in-ternationalen und regionalen Politik beeinflusst worden sind. Sowohl formelle als auch informelle grenzüberschreitende Netzwerke tragen zur Erhaltung eines gemeinsamen lokalen Milieus bei. In Europa wird die grenzüberschreitende Zusam-menarbeit durch politische, finanzielle und rechtliche Förder-maßnahmen gestärkt. Sie bietet für lokale Vermittler eine Mög-lichkeit zum Ausbau gemeinsamer Maßnahmen zur endogenen Stärkung des Grenzgebiets. Die Untersuchung zu Cerdanya zeigt, wie von der Gemeinde geleitete Initiativen, die auf loka-len Bedürfnissen und dem gemeinsamen räumlichen Kapital beruhen, eine machbare Alternative zur lokalen Entwicklung darstellen. Die Küste von Albera Marítima (CAM) dagegen liegt geographisch eher abseits, wobei das Fehlen grenzübergrei-fender lokaler Netzwerke einerseits und machbarer Projekte der grenzübergreifenden Zusammenarbeit andererseits seine geographische Abseitslage und den anthropischen Druck auf die sensible Küstenregion verschärfen.
Wastl-Walter, D. (ed.): The Ashgate Research Companion to Border Studies
Hungarian Geographical Bulletin, 2012
Wastl-Walter, D. (ed.): The Ashgate Research Companion to Border Studies. Farnham-Burlington, Ashgate Publishing Ltd., 2011. 705 p. The Ashgate Research Companion to Border Studies is a Bible for border studies, an encyclopedia which is a real milestone in social and political geography! These are the fi rst thoughts coming to the reviewer's mind when looking at the fantastic variety of the studies connecting to the main topic of the thick book. The wide range of authors (40 altogether) representing 21 countries of 6 continents guarantee a sophisticated and very detailed content of the volume. Therefore, not surprisingly, this book has aroused great interest in the academic sphere and it can extend our knowledge on the complexity of problems connecting to border regions all over the world. That achievement is the result of a hard and well-coordinated editorial work of Professor Doris Wastl-Walter, University of Bern, Switz erland. The book consists of 8 major parts and contains 32 chapters. The first part of the book (Theorizing borders: conceptual aspects of border studies) sets the theoretical framework of the topic providing an overview of the exciting and multidisciplinary fi eld of border studies. The reader can get various approaches on the discipline and the phenomenon of border. Reading the fi rst part makes us realize that it is very diffi cult to give a real "border" defi nition. (Is it a word, a belief or a simple mask?) The authors of that chapter also deal with the problems of the historical borders remained in the collective memory; the negative consequences of the political and social division represented by the former borders among peoples in the neighbouring countries and, last but not least, with the concept of the so-called 'intersectionality' which makes easier to understand the main diff erences between borderland areas as a methodological tool.
Jurisdictional boundaries in Spain, survey and marking of boundaries in Teruel (Spain)
Survey Review, 2014
In the 1890's and early 1900s, the National Geographic Institute (IGN) of Spain carried out geodetic studies required to georeference the boundaries of every single municipality in Spain, survey the boundaries and mark them out. The field notes for these studies still exist and can still be referenced today. Nowadays, most of the landmarks that were located in these studies have disappeared; replacing these monuments could be of great interest to the local government, both administratively and economically. The indeterminacy or change of municipal boundaries can lead to tax collection and even supply problems. This paper studies the accuracy of those studies. Furthermore, a technical method for locating the lost monuments is shown; this method could also be used to map the monuments in a precise and reliable way. In this way, the problem of replacing boundaries is subsequently analysed.
CASTANHO, R.A (ed.): Peripheral, Territories, Tourism and Regional Development, 2021
Between 38°50′30"N/7° 04'35 W and 37°10′13"N/7°23′38"W has located the southernmost border of Europe, which stands apart from Portugal and Spain, which separates part of Portugal and Spain, making it one of the furthest from the central European area. A feature of this Spanish-Portuguese border stretch is that it is closely linked to the Guadiana River, one of the major waterways that cross the Iberian Peninsula from east to west. In 1998, the Albufeira Convention was signed, promoting Iberian cooperation at a scientific and technical level to strengthen the links of communication and collaboration at the technical level-the challenge of shared management of the waters and international basins that affect both countries. The Convention presented challenges and objectives on which the competent administrations have been working since then. Another peculiarity of this territory, except in a few situations, is its low population density. Therefore, knowing the demographic and environmental changes of the municipalities bordering the 'Raya' (common name as the border is known in these areas) constitutes valuable information that leads to the territorial management of these peripheral areas.
Sustainability, 2020
Abstract: The new territorial structures for the governance of the borderlands between Portugal and Spain (Eurocities) constitute a novel and exciting example of a local commitment to cross-border cooperation (CBC). The Eurocities are feasible institutions in very close cities and municipalities, and have always had intense relationships. With di erent speeds, formats and intensities, Eurocities have been forming along the European Union’s internal borders. Compared to other types of cooperation entities created mainly at regional or sub-regional scales (Euroregions and Eurodistricts), Eurocities are created at the municipal or local level, which are the most relevant protagonists of cross-border flows and relations. These new institutions are established based on di erent common objectives, such as economic dynamism, tourism, mobility, sustainability and access to funding, among many other fields of common interest. The present research deals with the geographical and institutional framework of these new Eurocities on the Portuguese–Spanish border, where they have increased in recent years. Their beginnings, evolution and characteristics are analyzed through a review work. In many cases, Eurocities become responses at the local and municipal scales. Some of these Eurocities have gone one step further by becoming a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), such as Chaves–Marín or Guadiana Eurocity. In addition, some of these second-generation CBC structures are integrating into higher regional levels, such as in the case of the Río Minho EGTC. Furthermore, the present study enables us to identify factors, such as the o er of common quipment and services o er, Eurocitizenship, enhancing access to European Funds, or the marketing and advertising of the Eurocity, as some of the critical factors for the success of the Iberian Eurocities.
Trends and Paths From Border Regions: The Frontier Centro-Castilla y León of Portugal and Spain
China-USA Business Review, 2014
The objective of this paper is to determine whether the process of European Union (EU) integration has unleashed a new territorial dynamic with the convergence of border regions. Authors intend to analyze trends and trajectories of the Portuguese-Spanish border regions of the Center of Portugal and Castilla y León, particularly the municipalities of NUTS III and northern and southern Beira Interior (Central Region) and the provinces of the municipalities of Salamanca and Zamora (Region of Castilla y León), in the last 20 years, given a set of demographic, economic, and social indicators, by using statistical analysis combined with contributions from the development processes established in these regions.
Journal of Maps, 2024
Cross-border cooperation has developed fundamentally at the internal borders of the European Union. The border between Spain and Portugal, known as the line (raya in Spanish and raia in Portuguese), is one of them. Numerous cooperation projects have been developed there in recent years, although with a heterogeneous geographical distribution. The border seems to disappear, but far from doing so, it is just transformed, as the study of the dimension of national security shows, which is now largely binational. One of the highest levels of cross-border cooperation that has been achieved is that of integrated local units, called eurocities, with diverse objectives. We address the study of various dimensions of this eurocities with the aim of better understanding where they are created, in what political context and what is their demographic, economic and cultural impact.
THE CULTURAL UNIQUENESS OF PORTUGUESE-SPANISH BORDER LANDSCAPES
Journal of Comparative Studies 15, 2022
This paper aims to present topics for describing unique features of social relations and interaction in borderlands, as reflected in tangible and intangible heritage. Considering that there are phenomena that can only take place in border contexts, we examine the Lower Gua- diana basin (on the PortugalñSpain border) as a potential case study for heritage enhancement. Historically, this territory is part of Europeís oldest stable political border, as it was delimited in 1297 (Treaty of Alcan~ ices). This condition was a determinant for the configuration of a unique historical human landscape, with villages founded for surveillance purposes, as well as buildings (fortresses or houses for guards) along the borders. In contrast, the separations created by the states provide clues about the development of unofficial social relations and hybrid manifestations (e.g., smuggling, language con- fluence). This article provides insight into the importance of intercon- nections and mutual influences in the formation and consolidation of unique cultural realities in borderlands that contradict the image of rupture and separation created by mainstream historiography. With this overview, it is possible to identify some topics for further research on borderlands, especially in the current geopolitical con- text, that is, after the elimination of border checkpoints in the Schengen Area and the loss of the political importance of these peripheral territories. This situation leads to the depopulation of border terri- tories, especially in the hinterland, which can inspire the examination of the particularities of this human landscape from a multidisciplinary point of view. It should be noted that the Guadiana River is navigable between its mouth and Mértola, which has determined human occu- pation, interregional contact and its defence since the eighth century BC.
The Most Meridional Border in Europe. Demographic and Environmental Changes
Between 38°50′30"N/7° 04'35 W and 37°10′13"N/7°23′38"W has located the southernmost border of Europe, which stands apart from Portugal and Spain, which separates part of Portugal and Spain, making it one of the furthest from the central European area. A feature of this Spanish-Portuguese border stretch is that it is closely linked to the Guadiana River, one of the major waterways that cross the Iberian Peninsula from east to west. In 1998, the Albufeira Convention was signed, promoting Iberian cooperation at a scientific and technical level to strengthen the links of communication and collaboration at the technical level-the challenge of shared management of the waters and international basins that affect both countries. The Convention presented challenges and objectives on which the competent administrations have been working since then. Another peculiarity of this territory, except in a few situations, is its low population density. Therefore, knowing the demographic and environmental changes of the municipalities bordering the 'Raya' (common name as the border is known in these areas) constitutes valuable information that leads to the territorial management of these peripheral areas.
La geografía y el análisis territorial en España
Boletín de la Asociación de Geógrafos …, 2009
The fundamental aim of the present contribution is to analyze the magnitude of the transformations which have been succeeding during the last thirty years and their importance for the geographical analysis. Indeed, since 1980 the spatial changes keep on producing in Spain. Among these, the urbanization of the territory, the indiscriminate construction of new buildings and the dynamics of metropolization excel. All this should be considered in a context