El papel ambivalente de las fronteras en la construcción de las metrópolis transfronterizas en Europa. Los casos de Basilea, Ginebra y Luxemburgo

Christophe Sohn

doi:10.5565/rev/dag.952

The ambivalent role of borders in the construction of cross-border city-regions in Europe. The case of Basel, Geneva and Luxembourg

Authors

Christophe Sohn

PDF (ES)

Abstract

This article aims to analyse the role of borders in the political construction of cross-border city-regions in Europe. In a first step, a reflection on the process of emergence of crossborder city-regions is conducted with the aim to highlight their specific features. Based on theoretical analysis, an analytical framework of the border functions is proposed. Thereafter, the cases of Basel, Geneva and Luxembourg allows examining how the metropolitan actors mobilize some of the functions assigned to the border to develop and carry out their development and cross-border integration strategies. Far from being only an obstacle to cooperation, the border offers to these second order city-regions opportunities to strengthen their comparative advantages. The activation of these opportunities is based on strategies that articulate the function of border according to different logics: the border can be used as an economic resource or, on a symbolic level, as an object of recognition of the international dimension of the metropolis. Finally, in the game induced by the changing significance of borders, the cities-regions supported by states appear advantaged.

Keywords

cross-border cooperation, city-region, border, metropolitan strategy, Basel, Geneva, Luxembourg, Europe

References

ANDERSON, M. (1996). Frontiers, Territory and State Formation in the Modern World. Cambridge: Cambridge Polity Press.

ANDERSON, J.; O’DOWD, L. (1999). «Borders, Border Regions and Territoriality: Contradictory Meanings, Changing Significance». Regional Studies Association, 33 (7), p. 593-604.

BAILLY, A.S. (1987). «Une Géo-politique de la Regio Genevensis». Geographica Helvetica, 3, p. 191-202.

BLATTER, J. (2003). «Beyond Hierarchies and Networks: Institutional Logics and Change in Transboundary Spaces». Governance: An International Journal of Policy, Administration and Institutions, 16 (4), p. 503-526.

DEAR, M.; LECLERC, G. (2005). Postborder city. Cultural spaces of Bajalta. Londres: Routledge.

GROUPE FRONTIÈRE (2004). «La frontière, un objet spatial en mutation». Espaces- Temps.net.

GRABBE, H. (2000). «The Sharp Edges of Europe: Extending Schengen Eastwards». International Affaire, 76 (3), p. 519-536.

HERZOG, L.A. (1997). «The transfrontier Metropolis. A new kind of international city». Harward Design Magazine, 1, p. 1-5.

HOOGHE, L. (ed.) (1996). Cohesion Policy and European Integration: Building Multi-level Governance. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

JOUVE, B. (1994). «Planification territoriale et frontière internationale: le cas francogenevois ». Geographica Helvetica, 4, p. 150-156.

JOUVE, B. (1996). «L’agglomération franco-genevoise: entre crise de voisinage et reconfiguration territoriale». L’Espace Géographique, 1, p. 65-76.

LERESCHE, J.-P.; BASSAND, M. (1993). «Métropole lémanique: une nouvelle dynamique urbaine». Métropoles en Déséquilibre. París: Economica.

MOT (MISSION OPÉRATIONNELLE TRANSFRONTALIÈRE) (2008). Expertising Governance for Transfrontier Conurbations, Baseline Study. EGTC URBACT project.

MOULLÉ, F. (2002). «L’agglomération transfrontalière genevoise: acteurs, stratégies et fonctions internationales». En: REITEL, B. et al.: Villes et frontiers. París: Econo - mica, p. 114-123.

PERKMANN, M. (2003). «Cross-border regions in Europe. Significance and drivers of regional cross-border co-operation». European Urban and Regional Studies, 10 (2), p. 153-171.

OHMAE, K. (1990). The Borderless World. Londres: Collins.

O’DOWD, L. (2003). «The changing significance of European Borders». En ANDERSON, J.; O’DOWD, L.; WILSON, T.M.: New borders for a changing Europe. Crossborder cooperation and governance. Londres: Frank Cass Publishers.

RAFFESTIN, C. (1974). «Espace, temps et frontière». Cahiers de Géographie du Québec, 18, p. 23-34.

RAFFESTIN, C. (1986). «Eléments pour une théorie de la frontière». Diogène, 134, p. 3-21.

RATTI, R. (1994). «Spatial effects of frontiers: overview of different approaches and theories of border region development». En: NIJKAMP, P. (ed.): New borders and old barriers in spatial development. Aldershot: Averbury, p. 15-33.

REITEL, B. et al. (2002). Villes et frontières. París: Anthropos.

REITEL, B. et al. (2006). «Governance in cross-border agglomerations in Europe: the examples of Basel and Strasbourg». Europa Regional, 14 (1), p. 9-21.

ROZENBLAT, C.; CICILLE, P. (2003). Les villes européennes. Analyse comparative. Montpellier: Maison de la Géographie.

SAEZ, G.; LERESCHE, J.-P.; BASSAND, M. (eds.) (1997). Gouvernance métropolitaine et transfrontalière. París: L’Harmattan.

SCOTT, J.W. (2002). «A Networked Space of Meaning? Spatial Politics as Geostrategies of European Integration». Space and Polity, 6 (2), p. 147-167.

SOHN, C.; REITEL, B.; WALTHER, O. (2009). «Cross-border metropolitan integration in Europe: the case of Luxembourg, Basel and Geneva». Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 27, p. 922-939.

SOHN, C.; WALTHER, O. (2009). «Métropolisation et intégration transfrontalière: le paradoxe luxembourgeois». Espaces et Sociétés, 134, p. 1-15.