Geographic Proximity Versus Institutions

Abstract

Scholars have recently begun to connect political phenomena with geographic proximity, noting that in addition to one's personal characteristics, individuals are strongly affected by their social context. We push this literature further by examining how institutions such as state borders mediate and condition the effects of geographic proximity. Our findings expand our understanding of geography by demonstrating that the geographic landscape has interesting facets beyond proximity and distance. Rather, geography is the product of political relationships that intersect in particular places.