Real borders and virtual borders. An approach to Spanish scene Antonio García Jiménez Communication Across Borders Conference IDC Herzliya. Israel July, 6th-9th 2008

Real borders and virtual borders Introduction Introduction Borders and their dimensions/aspects Borders and their dimensions/aspects Virtual borders Virtual borders Spanish borders Spanish borders Virtual Spanish borders Virtual Spanish borders Conclusions Conclusions Reflections about border and communication Reflections about border and communication

Introduction Objectives Objectives Defining border in technological context Defining border in technological context Methodology Methodology Case study: Spain Case study: Spain External and internal borders External and internal borders

Borders and their dimensions Historical aspect Historical aspect Spatial aspect Spatial aspect Ideas dimension Ideas dimension Normative aspect Normative aspect Economic aspect Economic aspect People dimension People dimension

Borders and their dimensions… Two research perspectives Two research perspectives –State borders: in connection to geography, politics and economy –Symbolic borders: in connection to discursive limits, “we and they”, cultural borders Identity question Identity question Collective identities Collective identities Nations Nations Continuous rebordering Continuous rebordering Interrelation between both viewpoints Interrelation between both viewpoints

Virtual borders Internet and borders dispersion Internet and borders dispersion Flows space and places space Flows space and places space Cyberspace: a new space and time Cyberspace: a new space and time Loss of physical presence Loss of physical presence Virtual identities Virtual identities Informational borders Informational borders

Virtual borders… Nations and Internet Nations and Internet –Imagined communities –Shared political project –Diaspora and Internet –Adoption countries and Internet Other collective identities (legitimate, resistance, project) Other collective identities (legitimate, resistance, project) Internet as technological memory for humanity Internet as technological memory for humanity –Personal memories –Territorial memories –Communitarian memories –Social memories

Virtual borders… Real borders vs. virtual borders Real borders vs. virtual borders –Communication, security and border –Frontiers under control and online interaction Cyberspace and borders. An initial classification: Cyberspace and borders. An initial classification: –Access borders: economic, cultural, cognitive and structural limitations (for example, digital divide). –Mixed borders –Borders between communities with territory –Social borders –Applied virtual borders

Borders in Spain

Borders in Spain… External borders External borders –France and Portugal. Members of European Union –Morocco: The big border The big border Economical, political and cultural gap Economical, political and cultural gap Domestic borders Domestic borders –Autonomous regions/communities Nationalism Nationalism Divergences Divergences –Immigration Growth and Diversity Growth and Diversity

Virtual borders in Spain Another nation in cyberspace Another nation in cyberspace –New modalities of border –Top level domain.cat versus.es –Key issues: Catalonia is, at least, a interests community (Catalan Lands) Catalonia is, at least, a interests community (Catalan Lands) Catalan idiom and identity Catalan idiom and identity Visibility and survival of Catalan Visibility and survival of Catalan Without modifying real borders, presence in software, games, search engines… Without modifying real borders, presence in software, games, search engines…

Virtual borders in Spain… Users and borders Users and borders –Preliminar survey. Frontiers blur in online activities –a) Exterior borders Language barriers affect 48% students Language barriers affect 48% students Not Spanish web sites: Not Spanish web sites: –Similar to figures about language barriers –Predominance of USA Smallest convergence level: Morocco Smallest convergence level: Morocco Diaspora: low level of interrelation (10%) Diaspora: low level of interrelation (10%)

Virtual borders in Spain… Users and borders… Users and borders… –b) Internal borders Immigration context: low level of interrelation (12%) Immigration context: low level of interrelation (12%) Autonomous regions context: medium level of use (56%; 34% in different languages) Autonomous regions context: medium level of use (56%; 34% in different languages) Nets and borders Nets and borders –Frontiers control networks –Immigration in Spain –Territories and Wikipedia –Web sites for demanding political self-determination

Some conclusions External world is also involved in Internet In Internet – –Same and new borders exist – –Some borders are disappearing – –Claiming new frontiers Interaction online and offline Collective memories and borders Digital borders are both informational and cultural

Reflections about border and communication Communication is a pertinent sphere to understand borders For communication studies, a delimitation of border concept (or its theoretical implications) is needed It is a reality extremely complex that involves numerous research trends and methodologies. It is not clear how they can be integrate From a technological point of view it’s important to analyze: – –Relationship between offline borders and cyberspace – –Virtual border concept – –Consequences of virtual borders in daily life, states, nations… – –Relevance of language Relevant aspects: communication, security and conflicts; communication and interculturality, etc.