B-SHAPES is about policy improvement. Our research feeds into policy recommendations for policymakers (not only) in border regions, as well as policymakers for border regions. The Policy Briefs are based on the results of our work packages, adapted to general use in European border regions.
B-SHAPES has moved into its final year in spring 2025. Our fieldwork has been completed and data collected. Now it is time to finalize the analysis of the data into scientific publications and policy recommendations. gives an overview of how border related policies can be improved already now. It is the base for our discussions with policy makers in summer and autumn 2025.
Complete list over our Policy Briefs:
1. The effects of COVID-19 border closures on commuters, families, and students, illustrates the impact of the border closures during the pandemic on cross-border life, touching many aspects of disruption beyond cross-border commuting and -shopping.
2. The role of minority media in shaping narratives on borders and Europe, which focuses on the special situation of borderlands populated by national minorities.
3. Recognition of border landscapes as shared heritage is the central objective of B-SHAPES' work package five. Border landscapes have been mythologized and are an important aspect of national narratives.
4. Cultural and cultural heritage policies affecting borderlands, shows how to re-focus on border landscapes as shared heritage to foster cross-border understanding and cooperation.
5. Borders, Border Regions and Europe – Interim Policy Recommendations gives an overview of how border related policies can be improved already now. It has been the base for our discussions with policy makers in summer and autumn 2025.
6. Borderlands in transformative times: policy explorations summarises policy-relevant observations and recommendations from a dialogue with policymakers.
7. Eastern borderlands in transformative times: policy explorations presents the outcome of a policy seminar held in order to test and validate the relevance of policy scenarios outside the case study areas included in the B-Shapes region, especially with relation to the volatile geopolitical situation at the European Union’s eastern
Border.
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10. European borderlands, borders and minorities highlights how minority youth experience borders and the European Union and provides recommendations to EU policymakers and EU officials