Agnieszka Halemba and J. Otto Habeck - Borders as a Resource That Never Disappears

Mi, 10. November 2021, 16:15-17:45 Uhr

Speakers:

Dr. habil. Agnieszka Halemba (Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences)

Prof. Dr. J. Otto Habeck (Institute of Ethnology, University of Hamburg)

Moderator: 

PD Dr. Carolin Leutloff-Grandits (Viadrina Center B/ORDERS IN MOTION)

Abstract: 

On the basis of our research to date we show first how an internal EU border that in political discourses has been repeatedly described as a ‘disappearing’ one, not only has remained crucial for the inhabitants, but in a sense multiplied after its political opening. It is therefore useful to speak of a border as a bundle of potentialities and possibilities that can be used in various ways by the border region’s inhabitants. Secondly, we discuss our future research devoted to effects of the measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What happens when taken-for-granted knowledge, practices, and discourses are suddenly interrupted or significantly disturbed? Where do actors turn to, whom do they trust when mobility and relations-making at the core of their lives become disrupted?