ABSTRACT
The following case study of the de facto border between the Republic of Moldova and breakaway Transnistria examines how de facto borders affect the daily life of the population living on both sides of the divided territory. We consider the complexities of a legally unrecognised state border that nevertheless acts as a de facto border.
Our research focuses on the everyday life of residents in the cities of Bender and Dubăsari, which have been divided by a de facto border since 1992. Moldovan and Transnistrian officials claim that there is an almost complete lack of cross-border interaction across the de facto border; however, our field research shows that this is not in fact the case. Cross-border interaction is widely present in various forms, mostly on the level of the local population’s interaction but also between local authorities. Locals have not simply adapted to the situation; they also try to benefit from the new border-region status. This chapter is based on fieldwork, which included expert interviews and field observations, conducted in 2014 in Bender and Dubăsari. In the autumn of 2020, we conducted focus group interviews in Bender and Dubăsari, which gave us insight into the dynamics of cross-border practices, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
