Original scientific paper
THE SHIFT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION BORDER TO THE SOUTHEAST AND MULTIPLE PROCESSES OF TERRITORIALIZATION
Višeslav Raos
; Political Science Research Centre, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The European Union, a unique postmodern political system, redefines statehood,
sovereignty and territoriality and thus changes the traditional significance
of territory and state borders. European integration causes the
dismantling of existing spatial referential frames (deterritorialization), yet simultaneously
fosters reterritorialization, i.e. the creation of new spatial relations
and referential frames. European Union enlargement includes expansion
of border and customs mechanisms which yet again emphasizes the role of
territorial control and the importance of spatial boundary-drawing. The dynamic
role and significance of territory in politics can be especially seen in
the Croatian case. The war experience in recent Croatian history is linked
with the imagining of territory and territoriality in politics. The accession of
Croatia into EU is the first step towards de facto dismantling of borders towards
other members-states within the Schengen system, yet at the same time
it creates new dimensions to the boundaries towards the post-Yugoslav neighborhood.
The three cases, i.e. borders disputes of Croatia with Serbia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina and Montenegro illustrate the multi-facetted meaning of territory
in politics and the inability to separate the political from the territorial.
Keywords
European Union; Croatia; Territory; Border; Schengen Area
Hrčak ID:
107667
URI
Publication date:
23.9.2013.
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