The Durand Line: The Impact of a Contentious Border
Pakistan has been busy for the last nine years fencing off the 2,640-kilometre Durand Line with Afghanistan, creating a barrier that runs right through the heart of Pashtunistan, the homelands of the Pashtun people. How does this controversial border fence shape the lives of the people living on both sides?
Saadat Mousavi | 21 Sep 2026
Tourists as Ambassadors of a non-recognised Nation
Most maps don’t mark out Somaliland. But going there is getting easier. The self-declared republic, an autonomous region of Somalia, hopes that international visitors will function as de facto ambassadors to the non-recognised nation.
Aron Goossens | 6 Jul 2026
Bridging the De Facto Border
Welcome to De Facto’s new interview series, in which we interview scientists, artists and journalists about contested borders. What is their perspective on this urgent theme, and how does their work contribute to a better understanding? In this second edition, we interview Gaëlle Le Pavic and Said Gezerdava, who team up to write about Abkhazia.
Max Smedes | 29 Mar 2026
The Other Side of the Border
What happens when the border between Turkey and Armenia will finally open? Drawing on personal experience with transformations in the South Caucasus, Olesya Vartanyan explores how decisions made in one corner of this region impact all who live there.
Olesya Vartanyan | 20 Feb 2026