Association for Borderlands Studies (ABS) 3rd World Conference, 13-18 February 2023, Ben-Gurion University, Eilat Campus, Israel
Session
Borders, Cities and Conflicts
Organizers
Olivier J. Walther, University of Florida; Steven M. Radil, U.S. Air Force Academy
Session description
Cities and borders have long been synonymous with warfare, insurgency, and the many other forms of politically motivated violence. The objective of this session is to contribute to better understand how the centrality of cities interacts with the marginality of borders to produce some of the bloodiest and longest conflicts in the world. The session will focus on approaches that document why cities within border regions may be particularly susceptible to different modes of violence. Papers that explore how conventional forms of rural armed conflict have shifted towards alternative modes of violence that are distinctly urban in character are particularly welcome. We also welcome papers discussing how extremist groups instrumentalize urban violence in border regions, what makes highly educated and politically dissatisfied urban populations prone to organized violence, or how borders are implicated in the production of urbanized political violence. A particular emphasis will be given to new methods that allow systematic and replicable inquiries and rely on geolocated data sources on armed conflict.
The session will capitalize upon recent scholarship on borders, cities, and conflict across the world to explore themes such as:
- Shifting patterns of violence between rural and urban areas
- Transnational diffusion of conflict and wars
- Importance of border markets and cities in conflicts
- Innovative methodologies for studying conflict in border regions
- Emergent policy approaches to conflict resolution and border disputes
We invite papers on these or related topics. Please send proposed titles and abstracts (250 words or less) and/or expressions of interest to both Olivier Walther and Steven Radil as soon as possible.
We will notify contributors of acceptance in August 2022. All accepted contributors will need to register for the conference through the conference website.
Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash.