1170 | 151 | The Alpine space and national boundaries: processes and prospects at the Italy-France border | Raffaella Coletti
Several attempts have been made in the last decades to strengthen the definition of an Alpine “region”. Alpine Countries have signed the Alpine Convention in 1991, and have been successively involved in the EU Strategy for the Alps (“EUSALP” Macroregion). Sub-national territories are involved in various forms of cross-border and transnational cooperation supported by the EU cohesion policy through Interreg programmes, and are involved in the EUSALP as well, as a multilevel governance framework. In all of these initiatives the support to the material cooperation between different entities is paralleled by the nurturing of the “Alpine space” as a common heritage to be protected, sustainably exploited and promoted._x000D_
Nevertheless, the Alpine space is crossed by several national boundaries. Countries in the Alps are either Member States, or States that share with the EU a privileged relationship (namely, Switzerland). However, in the last few years the region has not been exempt from what has been defined the “revenge” of borders, following in particular the migration pressure, the terroristic threat and the Covid-19 pandemic. Formal closures of national boundaries, with the suspension of the Schengen Agreement, have fragmented the Alpine space materially and symbolically. Narratives of conflict and distrust have flourished among the Alpine States as elsewhere. But, at the same time, the crises have also stimulated the diffusion of new tools and practices. _x000D_
Can all these processes pave the way for new configurations of border management? To address this question, the presentation will discuss the case of the Italy-France border. By focusing on the evolution of the border management at different scales since 2015 (the year of the so called “migration crisis”) in a material and symbolic perspective, the contribution will highlight the new forms of closures and openings that are taking place across the Alpine borderscapes, reflecting on their potential consequences.
Raffaella Coletti
CNR ISSIRFA
ID Abstract: 151