Co-operation and security at the EU-Russian interface (en translation)

Abstract: As an indirect reaction to the events of 9/11, the European Neighbourhood Policy has brought with it the increased securitisation of the external border in both practical and symbolic terms, profoundly changing the nature of crossborder co-operation (CBC). While the pre-9/11 conflict resolution discourse with a powerful regional development rationale aspired to remove borders as ‘scars of history’, since then there has been a shift to reinforcing both ‘European’ values and security policies by means of conditional co-operation across more strictly controlled external borders. This has led to contradictory bordering practices that are reflected in a competition between co-operation and security-oriented agendas. These bordering practices will be exemplified here by a focus on civil society networks of cross-border co-operation between the EU and Russian civil society organisations which have been crucial for bridging political differences and promoting mutual understanding between the two sides.