Journal Article: Crossing Borders
Assignment Description
In answer to a call for papers for a publication entitled “Crossing Cultures”, you will write an 8-10 page journal article in which you address a particular aspect of crossing borders. You will incorporate aminimum of 10 external sources, of which at least 5 must be scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles and 2 book-length sources. As we have seen in the first half of the semester, the idea of crossing borders has many interpretations and applications. Thus, you may be quite free in your interpretation of crossing borders. Potential topics may range from exploring the linguistic, cultural, political, social or socio-economic borders that immigrants must face to the ideas of eco-tourism or couch-surfing or anthropological adventuring into “primitive” or unexplored areas to sexual, religious, gender or rolerelated identity and behavior to ethical stances in regards to decency, acceptability, social judgment, censorship of behavior or language to borders between countries and/or communities – the list is nearly endless. Whatever topic you choose, however, you must be sure to create a clear definition of what you mean by crossing borders, take a clear position, develop your argument/stance, and support it through effective and judicious use of your external sources.
Your paper will consist of the following elements:
- Title
- A clear research question/ your thesis which reflects a clear aim & claim, and which narrows your topic sufficiently to enable you to offer a fairly complete treatment in the limited space of a 10-page assignment.
- An abstract (in which you summarize your thesis, principle arguments and conclusion)
- Use and incorporation of a minimum of 5 scholarly sources and 5 other sources (book, print media, documentary, personal interview, etc.), with appropriate citation and documentation
- Bibliography (AnnotatedandListed)
- I have provided you with some sources already. You should use them. However, you are free to research any more.
- All sources must be available for me in form of pdf document or a link to the page where I can have access to the source. If you use a book, this must be available for me as well in form of a link.
First Outline and ideas
Border crossing and Globalization the relationship and interaction is a common phenomenon in our contemporary wold.
- Where the physical act of crossing a border from one country to another is reinforced by Globalization.
What is Globalization?
- Not only moving from one country to another. The free transfer of values, cultures, ideas and goods.
Why is Globalization and border crossing interrelated?
The consequences of Globalization? Migration still a problem for some people despite Globalization. (For example the Mexican border).
The Example of Berlin Wall (barrier-divided West Berlin with East Germany)
- The consequences of crossing a border?
- What does it mean to cross a border between places? In terms of culture, laws, ethnic and linguistic barriers.
- Free border crossing still a problem, despite EU citizenship. Why?
- Why people crossing borders (intentions)?
