Toward a Sociology of Areas with Border Changes

Abstract

　This paper presents a perspective on the sociological study of “areas with border changes.” Border change is a phenomenon prevalent worldwide. In this paper, the author considers it as an independent variable in sociology. Further, this study examines how local life as a dependent variable is affected by the border changes over mid-long term. It also investigates what happens when border change occurs in a multi-ethnic area. The author analyzes this theoretical issue through a case of Brussels and its periphery. Consequently, four analytical categories have been established: (1) The category suggested as the object of research for sociology of region and community comprises cases in which residents have only relatively small migratory experiences but considerable cross-border experience due to border changes; (2) those who have the experience with relatively long distant cross-border movements (studies of cross-border migrants); (3) those who have no experience of cross-border movements but have relatively long distant domestic movements (studies of domestic migrants); (4) and those who have no experience of cross-border movements and have relatively short movements (studies of stable residents). This paper aims to expand the field of research by categorizing issues on areas with border changes in sociology of region and community and examining the application of methods from sociology of region and community to the categories indicated in this paper.