Borderscapes

Abstract

Chapter 2 of the book "Photography and Invisible Borders: Spaces of Imagination between Switzerland and Italy" introduces the concept of a borderscape, examining its emergence in the multidisciplinary realm of border studies, as a conceptual framework for understanding the complexity of borders. To explore the notion’s significance, the chapter explores the root term “landscape,” from which the suffix “scape” is derived. This suffix embodies a dual meaning, encompassing both polity and scenery. “Scape” as polity, linked to the verb “shape,” refers to human spaces moulded over time through daily activities and practices—like walking—granting certain land rights. It connects landscapes to the political spaces of communities. Conversely, “scape” as scenery pertains to open views and aesthetic representations, echoing the origins of landscape painting. This duality is analysed in relation to Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s The Census at Bethlehem (1566), exploring political and scenic perspectives. The chapter then transitions from historical landscape painting to contemporary photography, examining Allan Sekula’s Sketch for a Geography Lesson (1983), a photographic work developed on the East German-West German border. In doing so, it establishes a methodological approach to studying borderscapes as dynamic spaces shaped, seen, represented, and experienced by diverse subjectivities.