ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book describes the history of the Hopa border region and the history of the Sarp border gate itself, along with the background of the dominant ethnic groups of the region. It shows how economics have been shaped and examines the dynamics emerging in response to the new relations in economic life since the 1988 border opening. The book investigates the border experiences of ethnic and gender groups. It discusses the Lazis and the Hemshins, the fundamental components of Hopa's economic, political, and socio-cultural life, the relationships of these groups, and the new dynamics that the border economy creates in these relationships. The book evaluates the relationship that gender establishes with the border economy and the direct or indirect effects of participating in these relationships.