Who Reaps The Benefits Of Permeable Borders? Mental Maps, Networks And Language Skills In The Hungarian-Slovakian Border-Region

Abstract

In our paper, we examine particular aspects of cross-border influence based on the data of the survey carried out in two Slovak and two Hungarian settlements along the border. Here is a summary of the results: • Easy accessibility is much more important than geographical proximity. • Easy accessibility primarily affects the frequency of visits and, through these visits, it has an impact on what we seek in the other country: something exotic, excursions and recreation, or some ordinary element of our daily life, be that shopping, health care services, education, housing or employment. • Those who visit often, do not travel far, but they form more personal relationships. Those who do not visit often (which cannot be undervalued either) are mainly interested in big cities and tourist destinations farther away from the border. • The frequency of the visits has a direct influence on the elementary/basic knowledge of the language spoken in the other country. • The linking role of minorities and their bridge-building function has been affirmed yet again. • Those with higher income and higher levels of education can benefit more from the advantages of the proximity of the border. From another point of view, the study is a demonstration: the practical implementation of the innovative methods developed by us for CBC impact measurement.