Conflict and Cooperation in Divided Cities

The world today is marked by simultaneous conflicts and cooperation between cultures, regions, international organizations, states, national and ethnic groups, political parties, and other actors. Conflict is considered as unfruitful and undesired, whereby cooperation is perceived as advantageous and desirable, yet frequently difficult and time-consuming to initiate and strengthen. The analysis of the transition from conflict to cooperation is hence an invaluable source of experience that comes in useful in many cases. Both conflict and cooperation are usually concentrated in particular locations where they are most intensive and observable, and where they are the most interesting to study. These locations involve divided, partitioned or cleavaged cities. These divisions are embodied by state borders, lines of demarcation, as well as by fences and walls, but also by informal rules and invisible lines. Fragmentations within towns reflect national, ethnical, religious, linguistic, and other differences. Cases of conflict and cooperation can refer to history, concern the towns where conflict prevails, where both these forms of interaction occur, or where collaboration dominates. The aim of this publication is to analyze the processes of conflict and cooperation using cities as examples. The authors analyze case studies showing different forms and phases of conflict and cooperation concentrating in urban space. They also represent different academic disciplines and approaches, resulting in an interdisciplinary approach to conflict and cooperation in border studies. This book thus contains analyses of Belfast, Berlin, Brussels, Ceuta and Melilla, Copenhagen-Malmö, Gorizia-Nova Gorica, Helsinki, Jerusalem, Kosovo Mitrovica, Luxembourg, Narva-Ivangorod, Nicosia, Opole, Sarajevo, S lubice-Frankfurt (Oder), Szczecin, Tornio-Haparanda and Valga-Valka.