The Borders We Share: A New Way to Fix a Broken World
Section 3 Recap: Tides of Claim—Six Tales of Islands and Ambition (Posts 13–18)
The borders we share are more than lines drawn on maps or etched into the sea—they are the heartbeat of human longing, the weight of history, and the restless tides that both bind and divide us. In Section 3 of The Borders We Share, we turn our gaze to the maritime borderlands, where islands, reefs, and rocky outcrops become stages for stories of sovereignty, survival, and the quiet courage of those who call these contested waters home. From the wind-scoured cliffs of Ruritania’s Crown to the coral-strewn shallows of Blefuscu’s Boats, Posts 13 through 18 weave a tapestry of human resilience against the backdrop of real-world disputes—the Falklands/Malvinas, Spratly Islands, Senkaku/Diaoyu, Aegean Sea, and Paracel Islands. These six tales, set in fictional realms that mirror our own, reveal the human cost of claiming the sea, where every wave carries a story, and every reef holds a dream. This recap unfurls these narratives, exploring their characters, settings, and the threads of ambition, pride, and hope that tie them together, while reflecting on the borders that shape our shared humanity.
A Journey Through Sections 1 and 2: Threads and Sands
Before diving into the tides of Section 3, we pause to reflect on the journey thus far. Section 1, Weaving the Threads: Six Tales of Borders and Balance, introduced us to landlocked borders where mountains, rivers, and plains shaped human destinies. From the fictional peaks of Eldorado’s Pass, echoing the India-Pakistan Line of Control, to the riverine divides of Zembla’s Flow, mirroring the Mekong’s shared waters, these stories explored the delicate balance between conflict and coexistence. Characters like Maria, a trader crossing Eldorado’s contested ridges, and Somchai, a farmer along Zembla’s banks, embodied the resilience of those who navigate borders not as lines but as lived realities. The section wove tales of dialogue and defiance, showing how borders can both fracture and forge communities.
Section 2, Taming the Sands: Six Tales of Oil, Dust, and Dignity, shifted to arid borderlands where deserts and oilfields became arenas for human ambition. From the dunes of Calormen’s Reach, reflecting the Saudi-Yemen border, to the oil-soaked plains of Erewhon’s Dust, echoing the Iraq-Kuwait disputes, these posts delved into the interplay of resource wealth and human dignity. Characters like Aisha, a Bedouin herder in Calormen, and Khalid, an oil worker in Erewhon, navigated the tensions of modernity and tradition, their lives shaped by the sands that both sustained and divided them. Together, Sections 1 and 2 set the stage for Section 3, moving from mountains and deserts to the fluid, unpredictable borders of the sea.
Post 13 & 13.1: Ruritania’s Crown—Falklands/Malvinas Winds
Section 3 opens with the windswept rocks of Ruritania’s Crown, a fictional echo of the Falklands/Malvinas, where the South Atlantic’s gales carry the weight of contested histories. Posts 13 and 13.1 introduce Elena, a third-generation islander whose family tends sheep on these rugged slopes. The narrative paints a stark landscape—green hills battered by salt spray, kelp-strewn beaches where penguins waddle alongside human dreams. Elena’s life is one of quiet labor: shearing wool, mending fences, and listening to the wind’s ceaseless howl. Yet, beneath this simplicity lies a deeper tension. Distant capitals—Ruritania and its rival—claim her island, their flags fluttering like uninvited guests.
In Post 13, we walk with Elena through peat bogs, her boots sinking into earth her grandfather called “ours before the maps were drawn.” The story delves into her memories—of her father’s tales of the 1982 war, of neighbors lost to mines buried in the soil. Her defiance is understated but fierce, rooted in the daily grind of survival in a place where the wind never rests. Post 13.1 shifts to Miguel, a sailor from the rival nation docking at Ruritania’s Crown under a truce. His ship carries supplies but also the weight of his country’s claim. Their cautious interactions—shared tea, halting stories—reveal the border as a paradox: a line that separates yet forces connection. The posts weave a delicate balance, showing how the islanders’ lives are shaped by resilience against both the elements and the distant powers that seek to define them. The Falklands/Malvinas dispute hums beneath, a reminder that sovereignty is felt in the calloused hands of those who live it.
Post 14: Atlantis’ Waves—Spratly Reefs
Post 14 carries us to the turquoise waters of Atlantis’ Waves, a fictional mirror of the Spratly Islands, where coral reefs and shallow seas are claimed by many but owned by none. We meet Linh, a fisherman whose wooden boat bobs amid a maze of reefs, his nets cast in waters patrolled by naval frigates. The post paints a vivid seascape—emerald shallows where fish dart like silver needles, atolls shimmering under a tropical sun. Yet, this beauty is deceptive. Linh’s livelihood is precarious, his small boat dwarfed by the steel hulls of rival fleets, each flying a different flag.
The narrative centers on Linh’s quiet defiance. He knows the reefs better than any mapmaker, his knowledge inherited from his father, who fished these waters before the patrols began. A confrontation with a foreign vessel leaves him shaken but resolute, his voice steady as he tells his son, “The sea doesn’t care for borders.” The story is a meditation on the human cost of maritime disputes, where fishermen like Linh are pawns in a game played by nations. The Spratly Islands’ real-world echoes resonate, showing how the smallest players bear the heaviest burdens in the quest for control, their nets tangled in lines of power drawn far from shore.
Post 15 & 16: Lilliput’s Isles—Senkaku Clash
Posts 15 and 16 transport us to Lilliput’s Isles, a fictional stand-in for the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, where rocky outcrops spark a clash of fishing fleets and national pride. The story unfolds through Hiroshi, a seasoned captain whose family has fished these waters for generations. In Post 15, we join Hiroshi on his weathered boat, the *Sea Crane*, navigating the isles’ choppy seas. The post paints a stark picture—jagged rocks rising from waves, their slopes barren but their waters teeming with life. Yet, this abundance is contested. Rival boats from a neighboring nation crowd the horizon, their presence a challenge Hiroshi cannot ignore.
The narrative delves into Hiroshi’s memories of his grandfather, who spoke of a time when the isles were shared, their bounty enough for all. Now, patrol ships shadow every trip, and a minor collision escalates into a standoff. Post 16 introduces Mei, a young crewmember from the rival fleet, whose own family claims the isles as their birthright. Their perspectives weave together, showing how pride and pragmatism collide, yet their shared struggle—to feed families, to honor the past—binds them. The Senkaku/Diaoyu dispute underpins the story, a reminder that borders can turn neighbors into adversaries, yet shared waters hold the potential for understanding.
Post 17: Narnia’s Sea—Aegean Edge
Post 17 brings us to Narnia’s Sea, a fictional reflection of the Aegean’s turbulent shores, where borders are drawn not just on water but in the hearts of those who live along its edges. The story centers on Ayla, a lighthouse keeper on a rocky islet, her beacon guiding fishing boats and migrants through treacherous nights. The post paints a haunting seascape—craggy cliffs lashed by waves, the lighthouse’s beam cutting through fog like a promise. Ayla’s life is solitary, her days spent tending the light and watching for those fleeing war or poverty.
The narrative explores the Aegean’s dual role as a cradle of culture and a crucible of conflict. Ayla’s islet is a microcosm of the region’s tensions—hospitality strained by fear, unity frayed by borders. When she aids a stranded family, their gratitude clashes with the suspicions of mainland neighbors, who see every boat as a threat. Ayla’s own history—her family’s flight from conflict decades ago—weaves into the broader tapestry of migration and mistrust. The Aegean’s real-world echoes resonate, reminding us that borders are thresholds where humanity is tested by the tides of compassion and fear.
Post 18: Blefuscu’s Boats—Paracel Puzzle
Post 18 closes the section in the coral-strewn waters of Blefuscu’s Boats, a fictional echo of the Paracel Islands, where Vietnamese and Chinese fishermen navigate a shared yet divided sea. We follow Thuy, a Vietnamese fisherman whose small boat dances across reefs claimed by both nations. The post paints a vivid picture—coral gardens glowing beneath waves, storms churning the sea into froth, and the hum of patrol boats. Thuy’s life is one of constant negotiation—with the weather, with rivals, with invisible lines dictating where he can cast his nets.
A tense encounter with Chen, a Chinese fisherman, forms the story’s heart. Their shared labor—hauling nets, weathering storms—creates a fragile bond, yet their flags pull them apart. The post explores the paradox of the Paracels, where the sea unites but borders divide. Thuy and Chen’s stories mirror each other, their dreams of a bountiful catch overshadowed by conflict’s specter. The real-world dispute hums beneath, showing that maritime borders are lived realities, felt in the calloused hands of those who sail.
Tying the Threads: The Human Heart of Maritime Borders
Section 3 weaves a tapestry of maritime borders, where islands and reefs are more than dots on a map—they are homes, histories, and hopes. Elena’s steadfast tending of her flock, Linh’s defiance against naval might, Hiroshi and Mei’s shared struggle, Ayla’s quiet compassion, and Thuy and Chen’s uneasy camaraderie embody the voices of those living in the shadow of disputes. These stories humanize the abstract, showing that the Falklands/Malvinas, Spratly, Senkaku/Diaoyu, Aegean, and Paracel conflicts are not just headlines but lived experiences, felt in the ropes of fishing boats and the flicker of a lighthouse beam. The sea, vast and indifferent, cares little for the lines we draw, yet for those who sail it, those lines are everything—home, heritage, survival.
Looking Ahead: Section 4—Forests and Lands
As Section 3 draws to a close, *The Borders We Share* prepares to venture into the verdant borders of forests and lands with Section 4, beginning on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. Posts 19–24 will explore the green frontiers where jungles, woodlands, and plains shape human stories of justice, ambition, and peace. Below is a glimpse of the upcoming posts:
Post 19: Sherwood’s Split, Congo’s Core: Green Justice
Set in the lush, Laputa-like forests of Sherwood, this post mirrors the DRC-Rwanda border. Robin Hood’s turf becomes a battleground for green justice, where 2017’s push for equity fosters peace amid contested jungles, blending resilience with hope for reconciliation.
Post 20: Utopia’s Woods, Guyana’s Gold: Dreams vs. Dirt
Reflecting the Venezuela-Guyana Essequibo dispute, this post explores Utopia’s debates with Cimmeria over resource-rich woods adjacent to Laputa’s forests. Sherlock Holmes digs into the dirt, uncovering the tension between dreams of wealth and the gritty reality of contested lands.
Post 21: Gor’s Jungle, Borneo’s Line: Wild Claims Tamed
Echoing the Malaysia-Indonesia Kalimantan border, this post follows the Gor tribes as they feud over Laputa-esque jungles. Sherlock Holmes steps in to tame wild stakes, navigating the clash of tradition and territorial claims in a dense, vibrant wilderness.
Post 22: Oz’s Forests, Tasmania’s Edge: Emerald Meets Pine
Mirroring Australia’s Indigenous land disputes, this post delves into Oz’s wizards clashing over Laputa-like forests, akin to Tasmania’s emerald pines. The 2020 realism of land rights meets the pine-scented struggle for cultural and territorial recognition.
Post 23: Narnia’s Trees, Amazon’s Breath: Roots of Peace
Set against the Peru-Ecuador frontier, this post explores Narnia’s efforts to plant peace in Amazonian-like woods near Laputa’s edge. Sherlock Holmes roots out solutions, weaving a narrative of coexistence amid the deep, breathing heart of the forest.
Post 24: Sherwood’s Pact, Part II: The Multiverse Grows
Continuing Robin’s forest deal with Cimmeria, this post scales up the narrative, reflecting 2023’s pluralism. The multiverse of borders expands as Sherwood’s pact fosters new ways of sharing contested lands, blending local solutions with global echoes.
Section 4 promises to weave tales of green justice and rooted resilience, continuing the series’ exploration of the human threads that bind us to the borders we share.
References
- Núñez, J.E. (2017), Sovereignty Conflicts.
- Núñez, J.E. (2020). Territorial Disputes.
- Núñez, J.E. (2023). Cosmopolitanism and State Sovereignty.
NOTE:
New posts every Tuesday.
PREVIOUS POSTS:
Post #18: Blefuscu’s Boats, Paracel Puzzle (Vietnam-China)
NEXT POSTS:
Section 4: Forests and Lands
Post 19: Sherwood’s Split, Congo’s Core: Green Justice
Post 20: Utopia’s Woods, Guyana’s Gold: Dreams vs. Dirt
Post 21: Gor’s Jungle, Borneo’s Line: Wild Claims Tamed
Post 22: Oz’s Forests, Tasmania’s Edge: Emerald Meets Pine
Post 23: Narnia’s Trees, Amazon’s Breath: Roots of Peace
Post 24: Sherwood’s Pact, Part II: The Multiverse Grows
AUTHOR’S SAMPLE PEER-REVIEWED ACADEMIC RESEARCH (FREE OPEN ACCESS):
State Sovereignty: Concept and Conceptions (OPEN ACCESS) (IJSL 2024)
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Tuesday 22nd July 2025
Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez
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