The Great Land Swap
Three years after India and Bangladesh exchanged exclaves to simplify the world's most complex border, many who chose to move rather than to change their citizenship find that their prospects are not what they'd hoped.
Welcome to the Almost-Country of Abkhazia
A tiny territory on the Black Sea hopes to boost its bid for nationhood by welcoming Syrians fleeing civil war.
A Guide to the Almost-Countries of the World
From Liberland to Sealand, a partial tour of semi-autonomous, breakaway states.
How Redistricting in Michigan Has Disenfranchised Voters and Helped the Far Right Capture a Centrist State
Gerrymandering in the Great Lakes State has cost some communities their representation, their schools, and their access to clean drinking water.
Party Lines: Tracking Gerrymandering Cases State by State
Recent court challenges to politically motivated redistricting have yielded several decisions not to decide.
Emergency Responders on the U.S.-Mexico Border
Ieva Jusionyte explores the spirit of first response in an area where dangers don't care about boundaries.
Dodging Bullets to Make the World's Best Coffee in Mexico
Juan Carlos Lopez is braving local violence so that indigenous workers can get a share of the profits.
Objects That Matter: Cartocontroversy
Imagine peeling an orange, then trying to lay the peel flat. Map-making is the art of manipulating the orange peel until it yields.
The Global History Behind 'Build the Wall!'
Since ancient times, border walls have simultaneously assuaged and stoked our fears of outsiders. But a history of walls can't tell the full story of civilization.
From the Killing Fields of Cambodia to California and Back
Katya Cengel tracks the lives of four families following the fall of the genocidal Khmer Rouge.
Burning Mensch
In a land known for war, the Midburn gathering offers a vision of peace and love.
The Boundary Between Our Bodies and Our Tech
Our online identities have become a part of who we are in the real world—whether we're always aware of it or not.
Saving the Library Before It Burns
An archive works to conserve the stories of the 1947 Partition of India.
Field Notes: Canteens Found Along the U.S.-Mexico Border
Ajo, Arizona: Heavy-duty, non-biodegradable canteens—occasionally insulated with clothing or blankets to prevent chafing—scatter the desert in the Tucson sector of the United States border with Mexico.
Letter From the Singapore Strait: Crossing Into Indonesia
Sindo Ferry passengers have their passports checked and their luggage x-rayed before they board, but they are divided about how meaningful national boundaries are.
Field Notes: Looking Over the Border Fence Outside San Diego, California
East of San Diego, California: In 2013, Border Patrol Agent Jacopo Bruni looks south over a border fence in the mountains.
Field Notes: A DEA Agent Inspects a Drug-Smuggling Tunnel Under the U.S.-Mexico Border
San Luis, Arizona: A United States Drug Enforcement Administration official aims a flashlight down a 55-foot-deep drug-smuggling tunnel that spans a distance of nearly 240 yards under the U.S.-Mexico border. Drugs ran north, and weapons and cash ran south.
Letter From Campo, California: Hiking the Route Border-Crossers Take From Mexico Into the U.S.
Twenty-four hours in rattlesnake country.
Field Notes: Outside a Soup Kitchen for Central American Immigrants
Hermosillo, Mexico: Central American immigrants walk to a soup kitchen for some much-needed sustenance after traveling by Mexican freight train—known among the caravaners as "the beast."
Letter From Boa Vista, Brazil: Exodus From Venezuela
In the Brazilian state of Roraima, newcomers arrive every day by car, bus, and bicycle.
Since We Last Spoke: Bad News for Bees
Updates to stories from the Pacific Standard archive.
There's a Name for That: Social Identity Theory
Identities that govern seemingly innate experiences, such as the taste of food—or even racial bias—can be harnessed to create positive social change.
Since We Last Spoke: Justice Brought to Injunctions
Updates to stories from the Pacific Standard archive.
Why Migrants Are Often Dissatisfied With Their Coyotes
In a recent study, the behavior most strongly linked to a negative recommendation was abandonment.
Since We Last Spoke: A Bright Future for Biochar
Updates to stories from the Pacific Standard archive.
The Borders of Dissent
Efforts to contain protests inevitably create boundaries—and raise questions about restricting free speech.
Behind the Scenes: Off the Map
An introduction to our special issue on borders and boundaries.