Conflicts and Borders: Between Imagination and Reality

Abstract

This paper examines the preconceived notion of a causal link between the presence of borders and conflicts. To investigate whether there is such a link, this paper proposes a twofold reflection articulated around: (1) a quantitative analysis of the causes of conflict since 1945, based on COW and COSIMO databases. This attempts to weight the importance of the border as primary and secondary factors in conflicts compared to other causes (e.g. natural resources, recognition denial, geopolitical interests). (2) a mixed method approach to critical discourse analysis, facilitated by QDA Miner software. This will investigate, identify and retrieve the ideas, emotions and narratives of “liberal” or “conservative” decision-makers in the US, Canada, Russia, Turkey, France and Germany when it comes to describing the need, or not, for a border. A comparative view of how the two sides understand the concept of borders is also given.