The paper develops a conceptual framework for interpreting the process of border changes in Poland since 1945. In this article, the author presents directions of change, and the functions, characterising Poland’s borders. A synthesis of relevant literature on borders shows how the specific functions of borderlands can be categorised into at least four overarching types, including by reference to barriers, peripherality and isolation, line of differentiation, and axis of integration. This then gains verification through empirical analysis of processes actually taking place along the borders of Poland. It proves possible to identify and take account of periods of isolation, transformation and European integration. However, the analysis also takes account of the most recent phenomena characterising the last few years (2020–2024), during which the Polish borders have moved back in a “rebordering” direction. The Author proposes the new concept of dynamic (cyclical) change of border function types after using Polish borders as an example of empirical analysis.

This study conducts an in-depth analysis of 820 maps with a focus on the western coast of the Black Sea, from Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi to Cape Kaliakra, and gives special attention to the Danube Delta. The research highlights Pietro Vesconte’s critical role in the accurate depiction of the area and examines the stylistic developments over time and their effects on the mapping of the region. It also delves into the relationship between navigational practices and cartographic representation, noting the limited influence of Ottoman conquests on local mapping techniques. The study draws attention to a resurgence in the use of Ptolemaic principles, occurring simultaneously with the adoption of modern surveying techniques, such as triangulation. By concentrating on the Danube Delta and the adjacent coast of the Black Sea, the study provides a detailed understanding of the cartographic history of the area, highlighting the mix of precision and creative interpretation in maps.

Watershed development initiatives have emerged as key tools for achieving sustainable rural development, especially in countries experiencing environmental degradation and resource constraints. Despite the increasing acknowledgment of the significance of watershed development interventions, there remains a dearth of comprehensive frameworks for evaluating their effects on the socioeconomic progress of communities, particularly concerning rural livelihoods and household food security outcomes. Hence, this study addresses this gap by developing a comprehensive impact analysis conceptual framework tailored to assess the impact of watershed development on socioeconomic aspects. This study designed the framework by incorporating existing theoretical perspectives (the sustainable livelihoods framework, political ecology, theory of change, and community-based natural resource management) and making essential adjustments. This novel conceptual framework offers a multifaceted approach to assess the socioeconomic impacts of watershed development projects, particularly on rural livelihoods and household food security. Employing a mixed methods approach, the framework sheds light on how interventions affect the livelihood assets and strategies of rural communities, ultimately influencing their food security and well-being. Furthermore, it examines how community involvement and national policy affect these efforts. By providing a holistic understanding of watershed development dynamics, this framework allows researchers and practitioners to assess impacts, identify trade-offs, and evaluate interventions. This informs policymakers about evidence-based interventions to promote sustainable socioeconomic development in rural communities.

Urban studies have increasingly engaged in understanding the role of the military in co-producing the city. Yet, the spatial role of an individual military base within a particular city has largely been overlooked. This deficiency is particularly acute as, due to contradictory governance regimes, a military base constitutes a contradictory non-democratic interface with a liberal urban civil space. This deficiency is due primarily to failure to view a military base as a concrete ‘geographical entity’ with a geographical agency. The Lefebvrian spatial trialectic (perceived conceived and lived spaces) is employed here as a framework for analyzing the relationships between the base and the city. We bind it theoretically and analytically with the concept of a geographical entity carrying a geographical agency. Based primarily on a qualitative methodology, we studied the spatiality of an urban military base in Beersheba, Israel, analyzing the three facets of spaces. The analysis reveals that neoliberal concepts held by urban planning professionals regarding urban space as conditioned by the presence of the military base (conceived space) are not necessarily congruent with those of the public which routinely lives and experiences (lived space) the concrete materiality of the base (perceived space). Thus, as a geographical entity within the city, a military base exists apart yet concurrently there are overlapping relations and entanglements with community life, suggesting a spatiality that extends beyond its physical territory. With these conceptual and methodological approaches and insights this study adds to the recently growing field of urban military geographies which hitherto overlooked these spatial perspectives of the military.