What are borders, and why do we have them? And how is violent border enforcement at the US-Mexico border connected to Israel's brutal assault on Gaza? And what happens when borders cross living land and communities?

We'll dig into these questions on this week's episode with the help of Heba Gowayed, sociology professor at CUNY Hunter College and Graduate Center. And then we'll hear a story brought to us by In Confianza, with Pulso about one time when the natural boundary between two countries changed – and what happened to the people caught on the other side.

Featuring:

Heba Gowayed, sociology professor at CUNY Hunter College and Graduate Center and author of "Refuge: How the State Shapes Human Potential" and the forthcoming "The Cost of Border"

Credits: 

"The Border is Alive!" from In Confianza, with Pulso**

• Written and produced by Charlie Garcia 
• Edited by Liz Alarcón
• Original Music by Julian Blackmore
• Audio engineering and mixing by Charlie Garcia and Julian Blackmore
• Special thanks to Gina Hernandez at Chamizal National Memorial

Making Contact Staff:

• Host: Lucy Kang
• Producers: Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani, Amy Gastelum, and Lucy Kang
• Executive Director: Jina Chung
• Editor: Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong
• Engineer: [Jeff Emtman](http://www.jeffemtman.com/) 
• Digital Media Marketing: Anubhuti Kumar

Music Credits:

"Documentary" by AlisiaBeats via Pixabay

Learn More: 

Making Contact website: [www.radioproject.org](http://www.radioproject.org/)

Heba Gowayed: www.[hebagowayed.com](http://hebagowayed.com/) 

In Confianza, with Pulso: [www.projectpulso.org/tag/podcast](http://www.projectpulso.org/tag/podcast)

URL:

https://focmedia.org/2024/05/borders-what-are-they-good-for/

Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.