What is a border? People often think of borders as those things that demarcate different countries – where one country stops and another begins. Borders are patrolled, we are greeted by barriers as we get off the plane or ferry in another country where we have to show our identity and declare our intentions for crossing the border. The geographic border continues to be a topic that causes major angst, tension and instability in the world – the source of conflict and contestation. Politicians continually talk of controlling borders, controlling who and what can cross them, stopping people who cross them and deporting people who have crossed them without permission. The US border in one way or another was a major element of Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, whether that be in terms of his promise to impose large tariffs on goods that cross the border from China, or deporting migrants who have crossed the border illegally, or continuing to construct the huge border wall with Mexico. In Britain, the vote to leave the European Union was won on the basis of ‘taking back control [of the border]’. In other European countries, like Germany and France, a rise in support of far- right political parties has largely come from feelings of disenfranchisement and angst that the borders are ‘under threat’ from mass uncontrolled migration. The border has become one of the most heated political topics of our time, with no sign of any end in sight.

The hysteria, fear and tension that exists around the national border is very much connected to other forms of border and division that exist within countries. These are the internal borders that exist within countries – the gaping differences between different geographic places, in terms of wealth, prosperity, health and education outcomes.