Geographical Borders

Author: Dr Ben Rich, Dr Donna Butorac, David Blayney
Published: Mon 08 Jun 2020
Episode Link: https://www.curtin.edu.au/news/podcasts/

For decades, the world has been on a trajectory of rising globalisation with cross-border flows of trade, investment, data, ideas, technology and people.

But recent global events point to a trend that’s at odds with that narrative. The election of nationalist leaders in many powerful countries; Brexit and the subsequent weakening of the EU; and COVID-induced territorialism have all contributed to a sense of ‘us vs them’.

David is joined by Curtin University academics Dr Donna Butorac and Dr Ben Rich to discuss whether we’re witnessing a ‘de-globalisation’ that could impact our ability to solve global problems like climate change and food security.

Are we retreating behind borders, and if so, how did we get here? [00:54]
Has the pandemic affected the trust we place on international organisations? [06:48]
How does our geographical location influence our sense of indentity? [13:26]
How can we solve global problems if we’re looking inward? [17:10]
Has the pandemic revealed the fragility of our international supply chains? [24:50]
It’s become easier to move capital and goods across borders, what about moving ourselves across borders? [27:35]