Landscape imaginaries as sources of resilience: German-Polish cross-border cooperation and the Oder River

Abstract

This paper focuses on appropriations of Oder River landscapes as resources in promoting notions of a shared regional space along the German-Polish border. Riverine landscapes, wetlands and other natural areas are elements of border-spanning geographical imaginaries that have connected different actor groups across the border. At the same time, the political nature of cross-border landscapes has revealed itself in conflicted understandings, competing national and regional interests as well as political agendas hostile towards environmental cooperation. The evidence presented supports the argument that geographical imaginations, and landscape imaginaries more specifically, can provide a robust anchoring of cooperation across borders, interests and political concerns. Moreover, while actor and community-specific interests frequently diverge and different socio-political trajectories unquestionably condition national experiences, landscape imaginaries potentially represent a constant within situations of flux. However, as our research indicates, efforts at creating a sense of common space have not been a linear process and ‘de-bordering’ has not been the only story. In terms of the long-term robustness and resilience of CBC, crisis situations such as the 1997 floods and the environmental disaster of 2022 have both served to enhance cooperation as well as accentuate political differences.