North American Borderlands

Book excerpt: Since the early colonial period, historians have been fascinated with North America’s borderlands – places where people interacted across multiple, independent political and legal systems. Today the scholarship on these regions is more robust and innovative than ever before. North American Borderlands introduces students to exemplary recent scholarship on this vital topic, showcasing work that delves into the complexities of borderland relationships. Essays range from the seventeenth through the late twentieth century, touch on nearly every region of the continent, and represent a variety of historical approaches and preoccupations. Anchored by a substantial introduction that walks students through the terminology and historiography, the collection presents the major debates and questions most prominent in the field today.