Search

In Quebec, geopolitics has not given rise, as a research field, to lively epistemological debates as was the case in France and elsewhere. At the crossroads of the French and Anglo‐Saxon schools of thought, Quebec's geopolitics developed progressively, with a few pioneers in the 1960s, to become an integral part of the geography discipline in the 1980s, driven by geopolitical issues related to the issue of Quebec within Canada. From the 2000s onwards, geopolitics diversified and became more international, becoming a commonly accepted sub‐field of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Transboundary conservation is key to addressing poleward range shifts that will result from climate change. At a species level, transboundary coordination may be hindered by inter‐country differences in protection of species. We explored how commonly mammal ranges in the Americas were transboundary, identified transboundary mammals whose poleward versus equatorial range limits fell in different countries and examined asymmetries in listing status of mammals. Location: The Americas. Methods: We intersected mammal ranges with country boundaries to identify transboundary species. We then determined the conservation status of mammals at the national level by compiling a database of all national‐level listing status documents across the Americas and at the global level through use of the IUCN Red List database. Results: Over 62% (1,114 species) of mammals were transboundary in any cardinal direction, and over 50% (850 species) had poleward and equatorial range limits in different countries. Of those 850, 26% experienced asymmetric listing, with one range limit designated at a higher listing status than the other at the national level. Mismatches between national and global listing also were apparent at equatorial and poleward range edges. These same general patterns held when our analyses were restricted to globally at‐risk mammals. Main Conclusions: Although listing status of a species does not necessarily equate to actual level of protection, these results demonstrate that formal listings of species vary substantially across country boundaries, and in particular at the latitudinal range extremes. Asymmetries in listing could indicate that species are under less threat in one country compared to another or could reflect different levels of concern in the two countries although population status is similar. Regardless, asymmetries in listing could challenge cross‐border connectivity and climate change resilience in the face of species range shifts and indicate the need for greater transboundary coordination in species management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the space between Aboriginal sovereignty and national security: Re‐engaging border security and Mohawk culture at Akwesasne Based on the case of the Mohawk territory of Akwesasne, wedged between Ontario, Quebec, and New York state, this paper provides an analysis of the links between the affirmation of indigenous culture and the implementation of security policies on borderlands. The focus extends beyond political conflicts over border issues to encompass the ways in which Aboriginal sovereignty is affirmed within processes of negotiation and cooperation in the matters of identification requirements, border agents' cultural sensitivity, and law enforcement. We find that the enhancement of border security can paradoxically be a political opportunity for local leaders to reaffirm indigenous sovereignty, and that this reaffirmation through cooperation is, at the same time, emerging as a key factor in the implementation of border security policies. Messages clés: Affirmation identitaire transfrontalière et politiques de sécurité se renforcent mutuellement.Les mesures de sécurité sont appropriées localement par les dirigeants indigènes.L'intégration de considérations culturelles dans les politiques de sécurité contribue à la mise en oeuvre de ces dernières. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence binational region is one of the most significant concentrations of industrial production on earth and contains the most active corridors for goods movements in the Canada‐United States trade relationship. The history of industrial development in this region involves the exploitation of coal and iron ore for steel production, the development of the railroads and the expansion of commercial agriculture, and the growth of the automotive and other high value‐added manufacturing industries. Canadian and American industrial complexes became increasingly integrated with the support of trade agreements in the latter decades of the 20th century. Development of cross‐border supply chains led to massive international flows of intermediate goods. In this context, the performance of a few key border crossings is of critical economic importance. New information drawn from very large datasets of Global Positioning System records generated by cross‐border truck movements sheds new light on both the spatial patterns of cross‐border goods movement and the performance of border crossings. Key Messages: The history of industrial development in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region involves steel production, the development of railroads, and the expansion of key industries.Canada‐US trade agreements led to very large volumes of cross‐border trade at Great Lakes crossings, characterized by integrated cross‐border supply chains.GPS data from trucks provide a new opportunity to study the spatial patterns of Canada‐US trade and the performance of border crossings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Regional Science Policy & Practice is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The number of exotic ant species being dispersed to new regions by human transportation and the trade pathways responsible for this are poorly understood. In this study, the taxonomic diversity, trade pathways, and origin of exotic ants intercepted at the New Zealand border were examined for the period 1955–2005. Overall, there were a total 4355 interception records, with 115 species from 52 genera. The 10 most frequently intercepted genera, and the 20 most frequently intercepted species contributed > 90% of all records. Many of the species frequently intercepted are regarded as invasive species, and several are established in New Zealand. The most intercepted species was Pheidole megacephala. Despite a relatively low trade relationship, a high proportion (> 64%) of the exotic ants which were intercepted originated from the Pacific region. However, the majority of species intercepted from the Pacific was exotic to the region (71%), or to a lesser extent, wide-ranging Pacific native species. No endemic species from the Pacific were intercepted. The effectiveness of detecting exotic ant species at the New Zealand border ranged from 48–78% for different trade pathways, indicating a number of species remain undetected. Trade routes associated with specific geographical regions represent a major filter for the arrival of exotic ant species. Despite the importance of the Pacific as a frequent pathway, we suggest that the future establishment of exotic ant species in New Zealand is likely to be mitigated by a renewed focus on trade routes with cool temperate regions, particularly Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the American Southwest and along the US–Mexico border,‘Anglos’ and Mexicans are often viewed as the quintessential‘others’. This ethnographic study problematises the Anglo-Mexican opposition with ethnographic data from interviews with a Mexican farmworker family and an‘Anglo’ farmer family of the EI Paso Lower Valley. I argue that‘Anglo’ hegemony is not based exclusively on cultural separation but often involves hybridity(including‘Mexicanisation’) and patron-client relations entailing‘benevolent’ paternalism. I show how the concept of‘Anglo’ is a contested identity constructed through interactions between Mexicans and Euroamericans. Through this study of border crossings in situations of asymmetrical power relations, I advocate a‘complicit’ anthropology that presents competing ethnic groups in their full complexity rather than as stereotypes or caricatures of their‘others.’ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]