Border as a Resource: The Case of the Ukrainian-Slovak Borderland

This article examines the Ukrainian-Slovak border through the conceptual lens of borders as resources, highlighting their economic, social, and cultural significance for borderland communities. Moving beyond traditional views of borders as static demarcations, the study focuses on the dynamic interactions that shape cross-border practices. Our main argument is that borders provide specific resources for local actors. We explore how individuals can make creative use of the border and life in the borderland, turning what may appear to be constraints into personal assets. Drawing on interviews with 24 residents of nearby Ukrainian settlements, the study shows how people turn constraints into opportunities, leveraging the border for economic and social gain. The research also considers broader influences – European integration, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion – that have reshaped the border’s function, shifting its perception from economic utility to security concerns.