Evolution of Borders and Borderlands: A Historical Overview
Abstract
Borders and borderlands concept was found from the very beginning of human society. In early period of time borders demarcation was physical like rivers, mountains, forest etc but with passage of time it converted to lines. The study throws light on those historical events that played great role in the formation of borders. The paper scrutinize the policies of Colonial powers in the borderlands of Asia and Africa where they were completely ignorant from the nature of these societies who lived over borderland and their policies of utilizing these colonies as raw material for theirindustrialization. The decisive treaties of Westphalia and Paris accord has been discussed as main event that played role in the formation of borders. The emergence of nation states and increasing of borders has been highlighted. The paper concludes that borders and borderlands possessed great importance in the state politics and world political scenario as they are the main source of connection between people, societies, culture, civilizations of the states. The prevention of crimes, smuggling and illegal movement of goods and people could be controlled by effective border management control.
Authors
Tahira Jabeen
LLM Scholar, Faculty of Shari‘ah & Law, International Islamic University Islamabad, Pakistan
Shazia Sultan
PhD Scholar, Department of Political Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, KP, Pakistan