Why Forgotten Borders May Hold the Solution to Future Peace

In a world constantly embroiled in geopolitical conflict, peace often feels like a distant ideal. Nations dispute over land, sea, and identity; lines are drawn and redrawn in blood rather than ink. But what if, instead of looking forward with sharpened divisions, we looked backward—to the forgotten borders of the past? These vanished demarcations, lost to time and shifting power, may hold more than history. They may contain clues to a more peaceful future.

The borders we no longer talk about—those that existed before colonial partitions, nationalist movements, and imperial redistricting—were often porous, fluid, and rooted in cooperation rather than control. Before the advent of modern nation-states, many communities shared lands, cultures, and economies across boundaries that were respected but not militarized. Understanding these forgotten borders isn’t just an academic pursuit—it could be a blueprint for sustainable peace in a fractured world.

The Invention of Borders

Borders, as we know them today, are relatively modern constructs. For much of human history, people moved freely through vast landscapes—trading, marrying, and building connections that transcended geography. It wasn’t until the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 that the concept of the sovereign nation-state and fixed territorial boundaries became standard practice in Europe. Colonial powers then exported this model globally, often with disastrous consequences.

In Africa, the infamous Berlin Conference of 1884–85 saw European powers divide the continent with arbitrary lines drawn by rulers in distant cities. These borders split ethnic groups, ignored traditional territories, and ignited conflicts that persist to this day. In South Asia, the 1947 Partition of British India carved out India and Pakistan, resulting in mass displacement and violence. Similarly, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the drawing of the Sykes-Picot line in the Middle East reshaped borders without regard for local identities or alliances.

These imposed lines often ignored centuries of shared coexistence. Where one border was erased, another emerged—harder, colder, and more militarized.

The Wisdom of Forgotten Borders

Forgotten borders were not always invisible, but they were often negotiated spaces. In pre-colonial Africa, the concept of land ownership was communal. Boundaries between tribes or ethnic groups existed but were defined by use, custom, and mutual respect rather than by walls or maps. Pastoralists moved herds seasonally, crossing lines that were acknowledged but flexible. Disputes were settled through councils and dialogue rather than through war or legal decree.

In the Balkans, under Ottoman rule, different religious and ethnic groups coexisted within the empire's loose administrative structure. Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived in mixed communities governed by a system of “millets,” or self-governing religious communities. While not perfect, it allowed a level of autonomy and peace that disintegrated only when nationalist ideologies—and the new borders they demanded—took over.

Indigenous peoples across the Americas and Australia maintained complex territorial understandings without fences or surveillance. Borders were marked by rivers, sacred sites, or seasonal agreements. The land was not owned in the Western sense but shared in stewardship. These systems were sustainable and equitable—until colonialism overwrote them with permanent claims and property rights.

Modern Conflicts Rooted in Old Lines

Many of today’s most intractable conflicts stem from disputed or artificial borders. Think of Kashmir between India and Pakistan, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or the friction between Russia and Ukraine. In each case, a rigid line attempts to define belonging, yet the people on either side often share ancestry, language, or history.

By contrast, the idea of shared spaces—neutral zones, buffer regions, or jointly governed areas—has been largely abandoned. But what if these forgotten practices were revived in modern forms? Could cross-border cooperation replace nationalist competition?

Some signs of this shift are already visible. The European Union, despite its challenges, represents an experiment in border dissolution. EU citizens can live, work, and travel across member states with minimal restriction. Former enemies like France and Germany now collaborate on trade, defense, and governance. Though far from perfect, it’s a powerful example of how borders can be softened without losing identity.

Reevaluating Boundaries in an International Society

Ironically, globalization has made borders both more hazy and more distinct. On the one hand, information, ideas, and things are more freely available than ever before. However, many nations have clamped down, strengthened their borders, and embraced nationalism as a result of migration. The paradox is that although the globe is becoming more economically and digitally connected, it is frequently becoming more politically and culturally divided.

This conflict implies that we require a new border paradigm, one in which boundaries govern connections rather than obstruct them. Think of boundaries not as obstacles but as bridges. This is accepting cooperation as a strategic objective rather than disregarding security or sovereignty.

We are reminded by forgotten borders that uniformity is not necessary for cohabitation. common territory does not necessarily imply common religion or politics. It might imply joint accountability. History demonstrates that when boundaries were negotiated rather than set, diverse groups could and did coexist peacefully.

The Function of Historical Justice and Memory

We must make peace with history in order to make peace with borders. This entails recognizing the trauma brought on by displacement, colonial redrawings, and forced partitions. It demands a willingness to listen to the voices of those who were left out of the border-making process—the Indigenous, the stateless, the marginalized.

Processes of truth and reconciliation, such as those in Canada and South Africa, provide examples of how society can address past injustices while fostering harmony. Part of that job is remembering lost borders. Reclaiming history is the goal. of coexistence that were buried beneath conquest.

Archival research, oral histories, and indigenous knowledge systems are crucial in this reclamation. These perspectives can help reshape modern border policies to reflect not just political realities, but human ones.

Practical Applications: The Borderlands as Peace Zones

One promising approach is to treat contested border regions as laboratories for peace. Rather than fighting over them, what if we shared them?

In the Korean Peninsula, for example, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) has inadvertently become a thriving nature reserve. There have been proposals to turn it into a peace park jointly managed by both North and South Korea. While politically complex, such initiatives show how even the most volatile borders can be reimagined.

In Africa, regional organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS have promoted cross-border trade and mobility zones, seeking to soften the rigid lines left by colonial powers. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched in 2021, is one of the largest such efforts and may eventually lead to more peaceful interdependence.

Elsewhere, initiatives like the Peace Parks Foundation in Southern Africa aim to establish transboundary conservation areas that promote both ecological and human harmony. These borderlands become sanctuaries not only for wildlife but also for diplomacy and dialogue.

Technology and the Future of Borders

Digital tools can also help manage borders more intelligently. Instead of physical walls, smart borders can use sensors, AI, and data-sharing to balance security with mobility. Blockchain could allow for decentralized identity management, helping stateless people access services without needing a fixed national identity.

Moreover, virtual collaboration platforms enable border communities to work together on climate adaptation, public health, and disaster response—issues that don’t respect borders anyway. As climate change forces mass migration, our concept of borders will need to evolve to meet new realities. Here again, historical models of shared territory and fluid movement may offer guidance.

Toward a Border Ethic

Ultimately, the question is not whether we need borders, but what kind of borders we want. Do we want them to reflect fear, exclusion, and competition? Or can they be shaped by cooperation, mutual respect, and justice?

A border ethic rooted in historical understanding and contemporary innovation could lead to a more peaceful world. It would value cultural exchange over isolation, shared stewardship over ownership, and historical memory over nationalist myth.

By remembering forgotten borders, we remember that peace isn’t found in drawing lines—it’s found in crossing them with compassion.

Conclusion: Lines That Connect, Not Divide

Borders are a part of human geography, but they don’t have to be lines of hostility. When we study the flexible, negotiated, and often peaceful borders of the past, we see a different model of coexistence—one that today’s fractured world desperately needs. Forgotten borders, with their lessons in humility and humanity, may just be the key to a future where peace is not imposed from above, but built from the ground up.

By reimagining borders not as ends but as beginnings—of dialogue, cooperation, and shared humanity—we open the door to a new kind of peace. One that is grounded in history, shaped by justice, and sustained by the wisdom of those who once lived across lines we have long since forgotten.