BORDERS, IDENTITIES AND KIN POLITICS IN THE BALKANS: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE AT THE TURKISH-BULGARIAN BORDER

Abstract

The paper focuses upon the historical and social construction of variouscrossborder identities across Turkish-Bulgarian border and elaborates the role ofthe border minorities, dual citizens and local kin politics on the development of theeconomic, political and cultural cooperation across the border. While the postcommunistoppening of the border led to the formation of new crossborder actorssuch as seasonal migrants, dual citizens, border minorities,irregular migrants, twinassociations, schools, municipalities and free trade zones, the Europeanisation ofthe border gives rise to new physical, electronic and digital fences and wals. Thepaper questions the possible outcomes of the interractions that take place amids thisbinary top-down and bottom-up dynamics. The question of how Europeanisation ofthe border could affect the local social, political, economic and cultural structuresand dynamics? lays at the core of the study.