How to construct cross-border cooperation? Local border traffic as a mechanism of shaping the external relations of the European Union and Schengen Area from the perspective of constructivism: the case of the Baltic Sea Region

ABSTRACT

This article examines the mechanism of local border traffic (LBT) at external borders of the European Union (EU) and Schengen Area in the Baltic Sea region (BSR) from the point of view of the paradigm of constructivism. The LBT mechanism is an example of the practical application of constructivism: the goal of LBT is to stimulate cross-border cooperation (CBC) in its various dimensions. As a result, new interests and new identities may develop in border areas. This study proved that the greatest opportunities for shaping relations between societies and states in BSR are in the Polish–Russian, Norwegian–Russian, and Lithuanian–Belarusian borderlands.

KEYWORDS:

• local border traffic
• Baltic Sea Region
• cross-border cooperation
• constructivism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Krzysztof Żęgota

Krzysztof Żęgota is Assistant Professor at the Institute of Political Science, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. His research interests include Polish–Russian cross-border cooperation, EU–Russia relations, and international relations theory.