Tallinn University recently became the focal point for global academic dialogue during the , organized by the Eur-Asian Border Lab. This consortium, a collaborative effort among Tallinn University, the University of Eastern Finland, and the University of Amsterdam, held the symposium on January 18-19, 2024, in Tallinn, Estonia. The Eur-Asian Border Lab's mission focuses on transcending traditional border studies by integrating diverse empirical settings and insights from academically peripheral regions into mainstream border studies theorization.
Nikola Lero, a first-year PhD researcher from the University of ºù«Ӱҵ funded by the CDT on New Horizons in Borders and Bordering. Based within the Department of Landscape Architecture, he presented his paper titled "A Comparative Critical Theoretical Analysis of Boccagni’s and Davis’s Constructs in Border Studies: Similarities, Differences, and Overlaps." Lero’s presentation delved deep into the constructs of 'Homing' by Paolo Boccagni and 'Everyday Bordering' by Nira Yuval-Davis, engaging in a comparative critical theoretical analysis that illuminates the nuanced interplay between these two influential and novel frameworks. By highlighting the conceptual convergences, divergences, and overlaps, Lero's research contributes to current theoretical debates on understanding how home and border practices are negotiated and enacted in daily life. This paper constitutes the first part of his UKRI-funded PhD study of transgenerational bordering and homing of migrant groups in the UK, with a particular focus on Yugoslav and Post-Yugoslav UK diaspora. The presentation was a part of Panel 6: New Conceptual Directions in Border Studies, chaired by Jussi P. Laine from the University of Eastern Finland, underscoring the symposium’s commitment to fostering innovative theoretical perspectives in border studies.
The symposium's diverse program commenced with keynote speeches from Dr. James W. Scott and Dr. Swargajyoti Gohain, who provided thought-provoking insights into "Border Thinking" and "Moving Border". Over the course of three days, the symposium unfolded through various panels, addressing themes from international relations and partition to informal cross-border solidarities and migration. Each panel brought together scholar from around the globe, contributing to discussions that reflected the symposium’s ambition to bridge disciplinary and regional divides in border studies.
The event's comprehensive agenda included panels on "International Relations Meets Border Studies," "Partition, Territorialized Identities, Jurisdictions, and Communities," and "Informal Cross-Border Solidarities," among others. These sessions explored a wide range of topics, from the transnationalist approach to border studies between Tajikistan and Afghanistan to the politics of self-other bordering in international relations, showcasing the symposium's dedication to advancing border studies through a multi-dimensional lens. As the symposium concluded, it was evident that the Eur-Asian Border Lab had not only highlighted the current challenges and opportunities within border studies but also pointed towards future directions for research and theory development.