Visual-CBC

In a context where national borders are resurging on the political agendas of European states, understanding the significance attributed by local stakeholders to their cross-border initiatives and the borders they aim to transcend is both a pressing research question and a critical societal issue. Despite the diminishing visibility of borders, particularly within highly integrated euroregions, their impact on the daily lives of inhabitants is becoming increasingly tangible due to recurrent rebordering shocks in recent years. Therefore, a historical analysis of the narratives shaping cross-border regions, specifically the symbolic recoding and utilization of borders as semiotic resources by local actors, is crucial for comprehending the evolving significance of borders and the trajectory of cross-border regions within the European integration context.

As border regions continue to evolve, a deeper understanding of the narratives shaping their identity, the conceptualization of borders, and their symbolic significance provides invaluable insights into the ongoing transformation of cross-border regions amid contemporary challenges. The Greater Region, encompassing Luxembourg, Lorraine in France, the Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany, and the Walloon Region in Belgium, along with the Upper Rhine region comprising Alsace in France, parts of Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany, and five Swiss cantons around Basel, have often been depicted as European integration “laboratories”. These regions serve as prime examples of the development of socio-economic interdependencies, and the establishment of new forms of multi-level governance.

Despite their historical significance, there remains a gap in the comprehensive review of the political and institutional construction of the Greater Region. Similarly, while the history of regional construction and cross-border cooperation in the Upper Rhine has received considerable attention, the analysis has predominantly focused on textual documents available in archives. However, the visual dimension of cross-border narratives, including their iconography, symbols, and conveyed meanings, has yet to be explored. Integrating visual studies into the analysis offers a novel approach, combining historical sciences, border studies, and political geography to shed light on the evolution of cross-border cooperation narratives and the changing role of national borders throughout their contemporary history.

This research aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamic processes involved in the creation and evolution of cross-border cooperation. The Greater Region and the Upper Rhine are ideal subjects for this study, as visual analysis of cooperative constructions will illuminate the narratives that have shaped these territories as we know them today. This interdisciplinary approach will contribute to a deeper appreciation of the complex interplay between visual and textual dimensions in border narratives, enriching our understanding of cross-border cooperation.