Borders as Zones of Experiential Learning: The Story of the Balkans Peace Park Initiative


Publisher: Between the Lines: The Social Ecology of Borders

Author(s): Todd Walters and Saleem H. Ali

Date: 2015

Topics: Cooperation, Land, Livelihoods

Countries: Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro

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National borders are synthetic constructs that may be defined by some geographic features such as rivers or mountain ranges, but essentially remain figments of political expediency. However, social systems evolve around them to provide a unique context for learning the interface between society and ecology. This chapter provides a concise historiography of the development of an initiative in the Western Balkans which sought to harness such learning opportunities “between the lines” through experiential field education.