Abstract
The aim of this report is to discuss the state of the art on how borders shape borderlanders'
perceptions of Europe and the European project. It outlines the main theoretical approaches
and research findings to identify gaps and provide a solid basis for the empirical analysis of the
B-SHAPES project. It is argued that living in borderlands and being exposed to 'others' shapes
the way residents imagine and internalise Europe. However, following the constructivist
conceptualisation of borders, which are not only located at territorial edges but are also
created in discourses, narratives, and practices, we argue that borderlanders' perceptions of
Europe are influenced not only by everyday life in border regions, but also by macro-narratives
of polycrisis and the ways in which people on the move, securitisation policies and
(in)securities are categorised and framed. Thus, the report focuses on three crucial events that
may influence public perceptions and the European imaginary: the 'migration crisis', re-
bordering trends related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the European elections. Accordingly,
the first three sections summarise the literature on border perceptions in the context of these
upheavals. However, it is clear from the literature review that borderlanders' perceptions of
Europe have been little explored by scholars. This is where B-SHAPES comes in, addressing the
question of how Europe is framed and narratively constructed from below. Subsequently,
sections 4-6 provide an overview of publications on Eurosceptics, minorities, and natural and
cultural landscapes from the perspective of borderlands studies, to anchor our empirical
investigation in existing research and to go beyond the state of the art. It is worth noting that
we consider ‘borderlanders’ not only as people living in border regions, but also as rhetorical
figures created in public discourses. Nevertheless, the report acknowledges that
borderlanders' narratives and perceptions of Europe should be considered as dynamic
processes that are subject to constant change. Therefore, B-SHAPES will capture
borderlanders' attitudes towards Europe at a particular moment in time, shaped by current
events and discourses.