Border Walls in the US-Mexico border regions as an Aspect of the Border-Industrial Complex and Creation of Border Governance

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01526
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 06020:International relations-related
• Research Institution: Chuogakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Kawakubo Fuminori 中央学院大学, 法学部, 教授 (00545212)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 国境産業複合体 / 国境ガバナンス / ボーダースタディーズ / 米墨国境地域 / 国境管理 / 移民勾留 / 国境の壁

Outline of Final Research Achievements

With the U.S.-Mexico border region as a case study, this study reveals the structure and reality of the border industrial complex, which has come under intense scrutiny since the construction of the so-called Trump Wall began. The process by which the federal government, Congress, the border security industry, universities, and other research organizations were integrated into a profit-driven border policy led to the transformation of the border from a line to a zone. In this context, the fact was revealed that the construction of the border wall has had a negative impact on the environment of the U.S.-Mexico border region and the habitat of indigenous peoples. The claim by Donald Trump and other politicians that extending the border will help stop the flow of illegal immigrants is the epitome of populism and theatrical politics, using the border as a stage.

Free Research Field

政治学、国際関係論、ボーダースタディーズ

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、米墨国境地域を事例として、国境の壁の建設が人々の生活空間にどのような影響を及ぼしてきたのかを明らかにした。こうした事象は米国やメキシコばかりではなく、グローバルに展開されており、とくに人の自由な移動を標榜する民主主義諸国において国境の壁の建設が推進されている背景に対する分析にもつながっていく。このことは、国境の壁の建設をめぐる政治体制の比較と相関という新しい研究テーマの掘り起こしにつながるものである。