«Border» as a key sign of regional identity

Abstract

The article presents the most significant points of view on the problems of territorial identification. It also touches upon the issues of criteria for the boundaries of territorial entities. A comparative analysis of scientific positions on the nature of borders as a socio-political phenomenon is carried out.

The key and actual theoretical and methodological points of view of foreign researchers on the essence of the border space are indicated. Along with this, the article provides a typologization of borders, and also indicates its characteristic features and signs. According to the author, the border has an exceptional dialectical essence.

The author investigated a long-term dispute between traditional and modern approaches in understanding the territorial limits of state borders. And the conclusion was made about the possibility of methodological combination of these approaches. The author’s concept of the border is proposed.

At the same time, the article contains the points of such specialists as G. Simmel, A. Wendt, P. Schmidt-Egner and others.