Email this article Inclusion and demarcation. The corona-pandemic as a border-/boundary marker in North Macedonia
Abstract
The corona-pandemic has reminded us of territorial borders, i.e., national borders throughout the world. Moreover, surprisingly, these very borders have emerged as successful tools for hindering the spread of the virus. In many cases, the coronavirus “stopped” at national borders due to the massive closures targeting, especially migrants, as they were seen as potential carriers and transmission risk factors. This article concerns this context intending to expose the border-/boundary-behavior in North Macedonia. Drawing upon the pandemic, it aims to challenge the frequent statements by politicians from Germany and the US on how the virus knows no borders. By paying attention to a southeastern european region, the article intends to show how the spread of the virus/disease reveals multiple borders and boundaries in the country, and the present-day world.
References
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Empirical data
Intensive monitoring of media in North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo since the outbreak of the pandemic until the end of July 2020.
Selected interviews on specific topics specified in the text:
Adem Sharofi, male, 48, Dibra, Macedonian teacher, on 5 August, 2020.
Jakup Tale, male, 55, Adapazar, Turkey, originally from Dibra, on August 5, 2020.
Prof. Dr. Rozita Dimova, female, 51, Skopje, Ghent, on August 7, 2020.
Quantitative interviews (as part of a larger survey regarding for the author's publications at Südosteuropa-Mitteilungen (2020) and Aspen Institute Germany (in press))
a. Test version, languages of the interviews: Albanian, English, German and Macedonian, May-June 5th, 2020, via mail and telephone, interviewees known to the author but kept anonymous here, interviews total=20 (female=14, male=6, age: 27-54), immigrants 10 (Germany=8, Italy=1, Netherlands=1), locals=10 (Albania=4, Bosnia-Hercegovina=4, Kosovo=0, Montenegro=0, North Macedonia=2 (only from Macedonia), Serbia=8 and Croatia=2).
Final Version, language of the interviews: Albanian, English, German, Croatian and Macedonian, June 5 - July 12th, 2020, online questionnaire, completely anonymous, interviews total=121 (female=85, male=36, age: 16-70, mostly: 20-50), emigrants=67 (USA=10, Germany=9, Italy=5, United Arab Emirates=3, Great Britain=2, Ireland=1, Luxembourg=1, Netherlands=1, Spain=1, Sweden=1), locals=60 (Albania=22, Bosnia-Hercegovina=5, Kosovo=22, Montenegro=4, North Macedonia=46 (Albanians=23, Macedonians=23), Serbia=1 and Croatia=20).
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