Boundaries as social practice and discourse: The Finnish-Russian border

Boundaries are a key concept in political geography, where they are typically understood as empirical manifestations of state power and territoriality. This paper suggests a multidimensional approach to the analysis of boundaries in a world of de-territorialization and re-territorialization. Boundaries are understood as institutions and symbols that are produced and reproduced in social practices and discourses. The meanings of the Finnish-Russian border are discussed at the scale of both the Finnish state and a locality that was divided by the new border after World War Two. The roles of this border have been highly varied, reflecting not only Finnish-Russian relations but also changes in global geopolitics. Current economic practices and discourses strive to open up borders and permit freer movement of capital and people, but in terms of Finnish foreign policy, security discourses and territorial control, this border is still a relatively closed one.