Identités nuancées à la frontière de l'Union européenne: Cahul, Moldavie

Abstract

The article explores the discourses on national identity of the inhabitants of Cahul city, situated at the border of the Republic of Moldova with Romania (and therefore the European Union). Since borders and identities are strongly connected, this research observes Moldovans citizens discourses of identification through the lens of their perspective on the border. The interviews and focus-groups show that two different discourses can be identified. At one hand, for a minority of Moldovans that have been interviewed, the border is an artificial delimitation, as Romanians and Moldovans resemble. On the other hand, for the large majority, the border is at the right place and it separates two different states and their citizens, even if there are some common characteristics that Romanians and Moldovans share. Therefore, this article underlines that a common and differentiated "we" can be found in the everyday discourses and practices of Moldovan citizens living at the border.