FIGRI students present a research paper in Vienna

Sara Rodríguez, Alejandro Daly, and Alejandra Montañez worked with Professor Irene Cabrera in the presentation of an academic research that had its origins in a work for the course "Policy and border relations."

Within the framework of the third Conference of the Association for Borderlands Studies carried out simultaneously at the University of Vienna and Hungary, Sara Rodríguez, Alejandro Daly, and Alejandra Montañez, presented the research, carried out together with Professor Irene Cabrera, “A multiscalar perspective towards fences in Europe: a comparative approach of dissonance and conflict.”

Universities around the world with a particular interest in sharing research on border and border-related issues participate in this convention. In fact, Professor Cabrera says this year the event was held in two countries that, in recent years, have built walls on their borders: Austria with Slovenia and Hungary with Serbia.

The work presented is the result of a research carried out, since last year, by the professor and students.  The work stems from a year-end assignment in the course “Politics and Border Relations,” imparted by Professor Cabrera in the eighth semester Government and International Relations program.

The research proposed the analysis of five walls recently constructed in Europe. First, from a multi-scale perspective where, in addition to considering the perspective of the Government building the wall, took into account the views of the neighboring Government, local authorities, citizens, civil society organizations (international and local), and, even, the European Union.

Second, the research analyzed the consequences and the effects of building the barriers. The objective was to examine the ones generating greater discord or conflict and, therefore, could be envisaged having less legitimacy, or tending to become obsolete over time.

Professor Irene Cabrera highlights the students’ commitment, thoroughness, and motivation, who with their hard work took on the challenge of attending the Conference and present the results of their work, alongside academics and researchers from prominent universities.

It is important to mention that this project is tied to the research currently underway at the Centre for Research and Special Projects – CIPE on “War, conflict, and security in border areas.”