Giakagalini F. Social and Political Communication In Border Regions of Latin America, by the Example of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay

Abstract: This article is dedicated to comparative analysis of social and political communication in border regions of Latin America, by the example of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. Based on the principles state sovereignty and control over its territory, central governments have always strived to limit contacts and flow between border regions and the outside world. Despite this fact, the borders are points of communication between people of different cultures, languages, nations and worldview. The inhabitants of those regions depend on relations with the neighboring countries, and attempt to circumvent the limitations that were imposed by the state without concern for their interests. The methodological basis of this research is the systemic and structural-functional approaches, methods of analysis, synthesis, observation, modeling, expert evaluations, field studies. In Latin America’s case, the struggle between the state and the border was exacerbated by the fact that political and economic centers of the country, historically, were always located far away from the borders — it always was a standoff between the center and the periphery. Moreover, the national elites still focus their attention on the relations with European countries and the USA, at the cost of weakening connections with the neighboring countries. Moreover, the national elites of Latin America were competitors, because the economies of their countries depended on raw goods exports into world economy centers. This gap between countries serves as an obstacle before achieving control over border territories by the government, and became the reason for the emergence of so-called «town twins› — towns separated only by a state border, often running along a street or a river. The flaws of infrastructure connecting the center and the periphery forced the population of border areas to develop their own channels for communication and foreign relations, especially in the field of economy.

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