The possibilities, obstacles and achievements of cross-border cooperation in the El Paso – Ciudad Juárez region

Abstract

Intensifying globalisation led several researchers from the 1980s on to predict the coming of a ’borderless’ world. The number of ethnic, religious, economic and political conflicts related to borders, still present after the end of the Cold War, however, put the topic again in the forefront of spatial research and led to a ’renaissance’ in border studies. Hungary also witnessed an emphasis on this subdiscipline after the transition, since the old, barrier-like political borders of the communist system were followed by new ones, rather connecting than separating neighbouring countries. This process was also given an impetus by the accession of the country to the European Union in 2004.

The fruitful academic discourse on borders has mostly focused on cross-border co-operation between Hungary and its neighbours, including certain aspects of similar projects in other EU member countries. Bi-national borderland initiatives outside the European integration have, however, attracted little attention. This investigation aims to broaden the horizon of Hungarian border studies by providing insights into the cross-border relations along the US-Mexican border and specifically in the metropolitan region of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez.

After a brief overview of the geographical context, the local and federal (top-down) cooperation projects concerning the two cities are described. Here, special emphasis is put on the social, political and economic factors promoting or hindering cooperation. The relative cultural homogeneity of the local population on both sides of the border is illustrated, as are the common practices of social activity and communication that contribute much to the local identity. Furthermore, it is analysed how the local elites in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez have different interests, while both of them benefit from the current economic division of the region. The main features of cross-border initiatives launched by the federal governments are also shown, with a focus on the achievement in issues of environmental management and in economic co-operation within the frameworks of the Border Industrialization Program and NAFTA. Some potential weaknesses of these initiatives and the future prospects of local cross-border cooperation are presented as well.