UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London, 7th Annual International Postgraduate Conference

Inclusion Exclusion

16-18th February 2006

Friday 17 February 10:00 – 11:30: Panel D3: Microregions and Subcultures

Veronika Hofinger (University of Regensburg): ‘The Moravian-Silesian microregion Osoblaszko: a case of excluded region?’
Structures of the natural space spread across political and administrative borders and so do economic and social structures – at least as long as there is no restrictive border regime. The variation of the character of borderlines in history and the effects of historical border development on the present situation is to be illustrated by the example of the Microregion Osoblažsko.

The Microregion Osoblažsko is a peripheral rural area in the Moravian-Silesian district in the north-east of the Czech Republic. The area of ca. 150 km² has an elongated shape, which is on three sides surrounded by the Czech-Polish border. The political border does not correspond with natural borders. However, towards the central space of the Czech Republic with its economically active agglomerations, the Jeseníky Mountains form a barrier to traffic and transport.

The geographical location at the periphery turns the area into a disadvantaged region in terms of infrastructure and economic activity. Disadvantaged regions are also disadvantaging regions, as the population has reduced access to infrastructure, education, employment chances and wealth. Consequences have been long-term outmigration and a decline of settlements and infrastructure.

However, the peripheral character of the Microregion is not naturally inevitable. A glance at the historical development of the area shows, that the character of the Microregion Osoblažsko, its economic and social life altered in dependence of the character of the borders surrounding it.

Institution theory allows viewing border regimes as a set of institutions. Their effects on regional development have a high degree of persistence (path dependency). However, dramatic events and crises may function as “turning points”. In the case of the Microregion Osoblažsko and its surrounding state border there can be identified some characteristic turning points:

1764: The largest part of Silesia is gained by Prussia: Establishment of the political border, restrictive effects on economical exchange, but little effect on everyday life of the population;
1945: Resettlement, establishment of a very restrictive border regime, systematical disruption of the infrastructure; the political border became also an ethnic border;
1990: Beginning of transformation, breaking up of the isolation; nevertheless, high degree of isolation remains due to infrastructural persistence.

The present character of the border as a formal institution is an effect of historical development. But also informal institutions (hopes and fears related to the border, the construction of regions, aspects of mentality and culture) show a high persistence and may have negative effects upon the development of cross-border cooperation.

Borders can potentially function as barriers, but also as incentives. The analysis of institutions influencing the character of borders and the understanding of the mechanisms of institutional change are the first steps towards actual change. Will the European concepts of cross-border-development be able to enhance the inclusion into a cross-border functional space of the future?