Borders are at the forefront of many contemporary debates about conflict, trade, immigration, and regulation. But how can the effects of borders on the ground be studied rigorously?
In her research, Katja Sarmiento-Mirwaldt brings original data to bear on long-standing questions in the study of borders, including the question of how borders shape the attitudes and behaviour of people living in border regions, how successful attempts at overcoming borders have been, and with what effect public resources have been spent in border regions.
Sarmiento-Mirwaldt works with individual-level opinion poll data, data on funding allocations, infrastructure data, and qualitative interview data. Her research shows that, with time and sufficient resources, the dividing effects of borders can be mitigated. It also shows that the data analysis tools of social science have much to contribute to the study of borders.
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"Secutity communities" are built on indyviduals (...) - Dr Katja Sarmiento Mirwaldt
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