Following the series of policy briefs elaborated by the B-Shapes project to support evidence-based policymaking and inclusive considerations for policymakers and those interested in the role of borders within the wider context of EU Cohesion policy and practice, we now present PB #8 CBC for Border Heritage Management. Heritage, which transcends national borders, can build the identity of neighbouring communities and simultaneously offer potential for economic development in these areas. To leverage the potential of borderland heritage, cross-border cooperation is required as a specific tool to mitigate numerous
barriers and diverse narratives and perspectives affecting cross-border interactions, and to ensure the active participation of local actors, including minorities.
Borders Shaping Perceptions of European Societies (B-SHAPES) is a Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action project that analyses how borders remain a key factor in shaping our understanding of societies. Eight European universities, one research institute, a national museum, a foundation, a political association, a consultancy, and an art collective have come together for three years[1]. The special border region focus promises new insights into how borders shape perceptions of societies, and how the story of borders can be told differently than from a purely national perspective.
B-SHAPES continuously summarises and disseminates key findings from the research in a way which can support an evidence-informed approach to policy debates. It thereby offers considerations for policymakers and those interested in the role of borders within the broader context of EU Cohesion policy and practice.
Research policy, including EU research policy, treats diversity and inclusion as integral to research quality, with a particular emphasis on gender equality. This approach rests on the assumption that social identities and cleavages shape the lived experience and, therefore, research outcomes. While this has clear merits, it risks privileging predefined categories at the expense of context-specific forms of difference and belonging. The B-SHAPES project starts from the premise that in border regions, identities and experiences are shaped not only by predefined social categories but also by spatial and relational factors that derive from everyday border practices.
This Policy Brief, published within the B-SHAPES Policy Brief series, aims at presenting useful findings and advice on the effective management of borderland heritage through cross-border cooperation. They were developed based on the practical experience of Kreatus Ltd., a company specialising in cross-border project management, and expanded upon within the B-SHAPES project. The analysis also incorporates outcomes from two policy seminars on the Swedish-Danish and Swedish-Finnish borders, as well as a winter school at the University of Halmstad, during which local stakeholders were consulted on the preliminary conclusions and recommendations prepared by Kreatus Ltd for developing this document.
The analyses and consultations carried out enabled the formulation of 10 conclusions and 11 recommendations regarding the use of cross-border cooperation in managing the borderland heritage. They can be useful to both scientists and practitioners, particularly those directly engaged in borderland heritage management through cross-border projects and other initiatives.
Read the entire B-Shapes Policy Brief #8 here
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[1] The Centre of Border Region Studies at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) coordinates B-SHAPES. Other partners in the consortium are: Brunel University London, Halmstad University, University of Oulu, University of Wroclaw, University of Strasbourg, ELTE University in Budapest, Technical University of Liberec in the Czech Republic, EURAC Research, the Bulgarian Museum of National History, the Lungomare artists’ collective in South Tyrol (Italy), the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR/AGEG/ARFE), KREATUS Consultancy, and the European Network Remembrance and Solidary Foundation.
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