Enclaves Reviews
Review by: Barry Arnold, Lecturer in Education, University College London (Honorary), Vice President of the International Border Research Group.
Enclaves and Exclaves are of interest to students of geography and border enthusiasts alike. They are quirky chunks of land separated from their home country. These anomalies – the author calls them “oddities” – are fascinating due to their varied political and historical origins, past treaties, conflicts and ethnic divisions. They raise questions about their relationship with their immediate neighbours and their host country.
Alexandra Novosseloff is an academic and this book reflects that; the third by the author that focuses on the “Geopolitics of Borderlands” is well researched, referenced and is based on four years of field work. The introduction helpfully introduces the reader to the wide range of enclaves, exclaves and counter-enclaves that exist. The author begins by revisiting the theories of enclaves and guides the reader to the many varied examples that exist and moves from well known examples such as Baarle-Hertog to lesser-known ones such as those located in the Fergana Valley. A strength of this section is the introduction of a typology of enclaves and exclaves, with the use of diagrams, maps and specific examples that help the reader understand how best to reference and apply theory to what exists on the ground. A further strength is how the author seamlessly introduces the reader to other geographical anomalies such as land locked countries, singular and double, and the rare existence of quadripoints. The author through her use of supplementary examples does a very good job of including all the enclaves, from tiny fragments such as Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera with the shortest land border in the world to Alaska, the biggest exclave of all.
The main section of the book is divided into nine chapters, each looking at a different enclave or set of enclaves. Each chapter explores the historical development of the enclave, its relationship with its host country, the population diversity and the challenges faced. In some cases, the borders are relatively invisible such as Baarle-Hertog, in others they are reminiscent of the Berlin Wall as in the cases of Ceuta and Melilla. The author carefully explores the impact of these borders on the inhabitants and the practical accommodations administrations have to make due to the geographical boundaries. The chapter on the Mediterranean links the Spanish possessions in North Africa to the UK Overseas territory of Gibraltar.
The author explores the dynamic nature of enclaves, and their economic and environmental relationships with their neighbours. The merging of enclaves between India and Bangladesh shows the temporary nature of some of them. Contrastingly post-Covid changes have impacted on the border trade between the Spanish exclaves of Melilla and Ceuta with border crossings closing and trade being curtailed. Whereas the building of the Temburong Bridge and the temporary closing of a casino fundamentally impacted on the Bruneian and Italian exclaves respectively.
A further interesting dimension stems from the authors field work and interviews with people who live and work in the enclaves, these underpin the challenges faces and the dependency with the host and the home country. These are valuable insights that are often missed. The book contains many photographs from these visits that add to the depth of research and the insights offered to the reader.
The final chapter focuses on the largest exclave of them all, Alaska. Here the author explores the location of the 49th US state between the myth of absolute freedom and absolute dependence.
In summary, the “Enclaves of the World” offers the reader an in-depth view into the historical, social and political elements of these geographical curiosities and the lives of those who live within them.
Barry Arnold, Lecturer in Education, University College London (Honorary), Vice President of the International Border Research Group.