Information for
Quick links
Faculties
The following text has been machine translated from the German with no human editing.
The two-day seminar forms part of the activities of the UniGR-Center for Border Studies ( UniGR-CBS ), an interdisciplinary centre of excellence at the University of the Greater Region (UniGR) that brings together the expertise of border studies researchers across the Greater Region.
Conceiving borders as relational structures – interdisciplinary perspectives
The conference builds on established approaches in international border studies, which conceive of borders as relational and process-oriented constructs. The focus is not only on territorial lines, but also on the diverse interactions between social, cultural, political and material practices through which borders are created, transformed and negotiated.
It is precisely the interdisciplinary nature of the event that enables these perspectives to be examined from different angles: contributions from the humanities, cultural studies, social sciences and spatial sciences, as well as from other related fields, engage in dialogue with one another. In this way, borders are examined both as ‘ ’ mechanisms of social order and as dynamic spaces of exchange, negotiation and transformation.
Exchange between early-career and established researchers
A distinctive feature of the event is the close integration of different formats and networks. This year, for instance, the seminar incorporates a workshop as part of the DAAD Eastern Partnership project ‘Border Chronotopes’, involving researchers from Katowice, Mykolaiv, Mariupol and Lviv, as well as the ‘Saarland University American Studies Graduate Forum’, which will take place for the eighth time in 2026 and is specifically designed to provide a platform for early-career researchers in the field of American Studies. This places the focus on exchange between early-career researchers and established academics. Furthermore, interdisciplinary discussions and international perspectives are intended to provide fresh impetus for Border Studies.
Insights into research, projects and networks
Alongside panels and workshops, the programme offers insights into the work of the UniGR-CBS research groups, in particular the working groups ‘Cross-Border Employment and Education’ and ‘Bordertextures’. Current projects and initiatives on cross-border cooperation will also be presented.
A highlight of the event is the keynote lecture by Dr María Verónica Elías, UniGR-CBS Fellow 2026 at RPTU Kaiserslautern and Associate Professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, who specialises in issues of border governance from an international comparative perspective.
Online components with international participation
A special feature is the SUUN roundtable moderated by Professor Astrid M. Fellner on ‘Borders in Flux and Academic Communities: Ukrainian Higher Education in a Wartime Context’ on Thursday 25 June, from 4 pm to 6 pm. Held online, this session will bring together international perspectives on the situation facing Ukrainian higher education institutions and discuss current challenges facing research and teaching in the context of war and transformation.
Practical information
Date: 25–26 June 2026
Venue: Saarland University, Saarbrücken (Campus, Buildings E1 7 and A2 1)
Format: In-person + selected online sessions
Admission: free
Please register at: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/fJYjhR5cEY
Further information, programme and registration link:
https://cbs.uni-gr.eu/de/activites/mobilite/seminaires-unigr-cbs-border-studies/frontieres-relationnelles-et-relations
Contact
Eva Nossem
Scientific Coordinator of the UniGR-CBS at Saarland University
Tel.: 0681 302-3573, Email:borderstudies@uni-saarland.de