Towards an inclusive and multidisciplinary approach to borderlands: An analysis of and guidance for cross-border cooperation along the Dutch-German border.

Despite decades of European financial stimulation for cross-border projects, the attention for cross-border cooperation (CBC) is still volatile. Depending on, among other things, political and economic tendencies, it is a hot item, or not. Irrespective of the trend, it is difficult to encourage citizens in the borderland to engage in cross-border behaviour. And without commitment among citizens at grassroots level, CBC will primarily remain an enjoyable pastime for the Euroregional elite. This introductory chapter outlines how CBC has been shaped and fleshed out in recent decades. In addition, it answers why CBC has proved so difficult to implement in practice. Finally, this article clarifies why an inclusive and multidisciplinary approach is necessary for the vitality of the Dutch-German borderland. By way of illustration, we will zoom in on the Rhine-Meuse-North Euroregion, one of the four Dutch-German binational Euroregions along and across the national border. An inclusive and multidisciplinary approach to borders is intended to contribute to a breakthrough in the practice of cross-border cooperation