Borders of Desire: Gender and Sexuality at the Eastern Borders of Europe

Borders of Desire explores how borders can be productive of desire, generating new aspirations, resentments, and actions, particularly in the eastern borders of Europe. The persistent east/west symbolic border continues to act as a source of these desires in European political and social life.

Format: Hardback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 20 June 2023
Publisher: Manchester University Press

Borders of Desire takes a novel approach to the study of borders, focusing on how they can be productive of desire rather than merely obstacles to fulfillment. Based on extensive ethnographic engagement with sites along the eastern borders of Europe, particularly in the Baltics and the Balkans, the studies in this volume shed light on how gendered and sexualized desires are generated by the existence of borders and how they are imagined. As the chapters demonstrate, borders can create new desires expressed as aspirations, resentments, and actions, including physical movements across borders for pleasure or work, or collective enactments of political ideals or resistance. Moreover, the collection reveals how the persistent east/west symbolic border continues to act as a source of these desires in European political and social life.

Introduction:
Borders have long been perceived as barriers to human desires, restricting movement, access, and opportunities. However, Borders of Desire challenges this notion by exploring how borders can also be productive of desire. This collection takes a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on insights from anthropology, sociology, geography, and political science to examine the complex interplay between borders, desires, and power.

Gendered and Sexualized Desires:
One of the central themes of the collection is the ways in which borders generate gendered and sexualized desires. The chapters show that borders create new spaces and opportunities for the expression of desires, particularly those that are marginalized or suppressed within mainstream society. For example, women who cross borders for work or pleasure may experience increased autonomy and freedom, while men who cross borders for the same reasons may face discrimination and marginalization. Borders also create new opportunities for the exploration of sexual desires, particularly those that are considered taboo or illegal in certain contexts.

Aspirations, Resentments, and Actions:
The studies in Borders of Desire demonstrate that borders can create new desires expressed as aspirations, resentments, and actions. For example, individuals who cross borders for work or pleasure may aspire to improve their economic or social status, while those who cross borders to escape political or social oppression may resent the restrictions imposed on them. Borders can also lead to collective actions, such as protests or resistance movements, as individuals and groups seek to challenge the power and authority of border authorities.

The Persistent East/West Symbolic Border:
While borders are often physical and geographical entities, Borders of Desire also highlights the enduring power of the east/west symbolic border in shaping desires and identities. The chapters show that the symbolic border continues to act as a source of these desires, particularly in European political and social life. The persistence of this symbolic border is linked to historical legacies, cultural differences, and economic inequalities, which continue to shape the ways in which individuals and groups perceive and interact with each other.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, Borders of Desire offers a fresh perspective on the study of borders, challenging the notion that they are solely obstacles to human desires. By examining the ways in which borders generate gendered and sexualized desires, aspirations, resentments, and actions, as well as the enduring power of the east/west symbolic border, this collection provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of borderlands. It is a must-read for scholars and researchers interested in border studies, gender, sexuality, and power relations.

Weight: 460g
Dimension: 163 x 242 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526165213