In this final episode I bring together all of the learnings from the 8 trips, to form my conclusions on the roles that borders play in their many different guises across Europe. Written in summer 2017, while living outside the UK. You can find the full text of this episode, along with maps photos and videos, at https://AJourneyAcrossBorders.wordpre…

In trip no.8 I organise a summer school in the Netherlands on the topic of illicit trade, visiting Rotterdam Port and learning from Interpol staff. I discuss how a transnational response is needed to track down and tackle the illicit traders, and I also look at the cost in time and money to the UK of new trade tariffs and customs checks if there is…

In trip no.7 I attend a week-long conference in Krakow as part of my Master's. I look at the terrible history of the Holocaust in Krakow and the role of brick walls in the Jewish Quarter and barbed wire fences in nearby Auschwitz. I discuss the concept of Othering and the way that language can influence people's worldviews. Written in summer 2017, …

In trip no.6 I travel to the French and Italian Alps and try to summit the highest peak in the EU. From over 4,000m I reflect on how physical borders like mountain ranges and seas (like the English channel) impact the people and communities living near those borders, and the impact of de-bordering and re-bordering when significant infrastructure, l…

In trip no.5 I take a road trip from Sweden to the Norwegian fjords. I compare the Nordic Passport Union to the UK-Ireland Common Travel Area, and discover how the hi-tech external EU border between Sweden and Norway works in practice, between two countries that are so close historically, economically and linguistically - much like the UK and Irela…

In trip no.4 I make a pilgrimage of sorts back home to London. I look at the impact of Brexit on inbound tourism to London and at the so-called “Brexodus” of skilled EU workers that have started leaving the UK amidst the uncertainty over their citizenship status in the country. Written in summer 2017, while living outside the UK. You can find the f…

In Trip no.3 I go on a whistle-stop tour of Europe, from Sweden to the Netherlands, to Italy and back to Sweden again, via Germany (all in the space of about 6 days). As I pass through the Schengen area, barely needing to show a passport, I look at the way border officials treat non-EU travellers' papers with suspicion, and discuss the calls to bri…

In Trip no.2 I move to Sweden for the second semester of my Erasmus Mundus Master's degree. I look at the UK’s participation in Erasmus+ opportunities to study and work abroad, and compare the different immigration processes for EU and non-EU students in my Masters, considering how that could look in future for UK citizens after Brexit. Written in …

In Trip no.1 I go ski racing in Switzerland. I look at the Swiss model of borders, seeing as the country sits outside of the EU, but inside the Schengen Area, and I analyse Switzerland's changing attitude to free movement. Written in summer 2017, while living outside the UK. You can find the full text of this episode, along with maps photos and vid…

Introducing 'A Journey Across Borders', a 10-part podcast about my 6-month journey across 26 borders in Europe in early 2017, to discover how borders evolve, what they mean and how they impact people’s lives. Written in summer 2017, while living outside the UK. You can find the full text of this episode, along with maps photos and videos, at www.AJ…