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Dear Colleagues, We are now only a little over six weeks away from IBRU's 7th international conference, 'Border Management in an Insecure World' which will take place in Durham on 5-7 April, and I would like to make a last call to members of int-boundaries to consider attending. Why you should attend: 1) It is an important topic. While delimitation and demarcation are crucial aspects of boundary-making, even the most carefully-defined boundary will be of limited value if it is not managed effectively after it has been established. Much has been written in recent years about the value of 'soft' borders in maintaining good relations between neighbouring states and creating borderland prosperity. However, the reality in many parts of the world is that borders are hardening rather than softening as states seek to protect their populations from perceived external threats. A key aim of this conference will be to examine the implications of the re-emergence of security as a core element of border management. Can borders actually be made secure in the 21st century? If so, what are the political, economic and social consequences, especially for border regions? What border management strategies are available and how are they working in practice? And how can scholars assist practitioners in finding solutions to complex border management challenges? These are not purely academic questions - they impact on the lives of millions of people around the world - and they deserve our consideration. 2) It is a terrific opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with other boundary experts from a wide range of backgrounds. IBRU places great value on interdisciplinary interaction, and we believe that our conferences attract a unique mix of participants from universities, governments, NGOs and commercial organisations. We currently have over 100 participants from 33 countries, and expect quite a few more to sign up in the coming weeks. One important aim of the conference will be to develop a global research programme on border management, and we would like to have as many institutions involved in this as possible. 3) It will be a lot of fun! Anyone who has been to an IBRU event before will tell you how much effort we put into making your time with us enjoyable. Durham is a wonderful city to visit, with the cathedral and castle enjoying the status of a World Heritage Site. On 6 April a gala conference dinner will be held in the Great Hall of Durham Castle, which should be a memorable experience (the gala dinner is included in the conference fee, as are all other meals and three nights' en-suite accommodation at the conference venue, Collingwood College). I do hope you will consider joining us in April. Further information on the conference, including the current programme and a list of participating organisations, can be found at http://www-ibru.dur.ac.uk/conferences/bmiw. Although we should be able to accept registrations right up until the start of the conference, if you are thinking about attending I would encourage you to contact Michelle Speak ([log in to unmask]) as soon as possible so that accommodation can be reserved for you. If you wish to make a presentation at the conference, it may still be possible to fit you in - but we have a pretty full programme, so I'm afraid we cannot make any guarantees at this stage. I would also like to remind colleagues who are directly involved in boundary management about the training workshop 'Strategies and Tools for Effective Border Management', which will take place immediately before the conference on 3-4 April; see http://www-ibru.dur.ac.uk/workshops/2006/management.html for further details. With best wishes, m a r t i n ================================== Martin Pratt Director of Research International Boundaries Research Unit Department of Geography University of Durham South Road Durham DH1 3LE United Kingdom +44 (0)191 334 1964 (direct line) +44 (0)191 334 1962 (fax) [log in to unmask] (email) http://www-ibru.dur.ac.uk (World Wide Web) ==================================