il 18/07/2020

Research on populism is animating academic debate in light of the growing global relevance of populist parties and ideologies as well as of the recent events that have radically affected the conceptualization of the border, security, and politics nexus. Until recently, the contribution of political geography and border studies to the analysis of populism has been limited, although borders, sovereignty, globalization, and inequality are crucial elements mobilized by the current populist wave. In this contribution we seek to initiate an exploration of bordering processes and walling, both metaphorical and concrete, as central features of populist agendas in the European context and beyond. The interventions provide a dynamic picture of the spatialization of fear at a time when various successive “emergencies” – the rise of populism, the alleged closure of Mediterranean ports, Brexit, and Covid-19 – have pushed previous concerns into the background, with the result that the spatial aspects of identity, our relationship with the other, and the political articulation of threat are continuously re-elaborated.