Anatomy of a Border: Contradictory Discourses on Othering and Mobilities on the Ghana–Togo Border?

Two “contradictory” perspectives of the borderlands exist: one is that the creation of arbitrary borders and different nationalities imposed on single communities and families not only others them and casts them as aliens in their traditional homelands but also restricts their mobilities and access to resources. The second perspective is that borderlanders do not recognise these borders and continue their activities as if the borders do not exist. This paper disentangles this contradiction by exploring how borders impact othering and mobility on the borderlands. Through historicising bordering practices based on people's lived experiences on the Ghana–Togo border, this paper argues these perspectives are complementary rather than contradictory. It shows how people's experiences of the border are shaped by bordering practices that are neither homogenous nor static. This paper highlights the complex relationships that point to a more nuanced understanding than this dichotomy.