Skip to main content
Log in

San Diego–Tijuana: Not quite a binational city or region

  • Published:
GeoJournal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The cities of San Diego and Tijuana have faced each other across the international boundary for over 100 years. The question raised by this article is whether they comprise a binational city or region. After a brief comparison of their histories, economies and political systems, a review of some indications of cross border attitudes and a discussion of binational regionalism as it is impacted by continentalism, it is concluded that the relationship between these cities is driven by factors of economics not friendship or trust.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barnes W. and Ledebur L., 1997: The New Regional Economies. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blair G., 1986: Government at the Grass Roots 4th. Palisades Publishers, Pacific Palisades CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buursink J., 1996: Becoming twin citizens in Minneapolis and St Paul: A case of territorial integration. In: Davies R.J. (ed), Contemporary City structuring. Society of South African Geographers, pp. 120–133. IGU Commission on Urban Development and Urban Life, Cape Town.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clement N., Jenner S., Ganster P. and Setran A., 1989: Maquiladora Resource Guide. Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Clement N., 1997: The changing economics of international borders and border regions. In: Ganster P., Sweedler A., Scott J. and Dieter-Eberwein W. (eds), Borders and Border Regions in Europe and North America. Institute for the Regional Studies of the Californias, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehlers N. and Buursink J., 2000: Binational cities: Peoples, institutions, and structures. In: van der Velde, M., & van Houtum, H. (eds), Borders, Regions, and People, pp. 182–201. Pion, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganster P., Pijawka D., Rasmussen P.W. and Van Schoik R., 2000: Overview – Findings of Border Institute I, The U.S.-Mexico border environment: A road map to a sustainable 2020. In: Ganster (ed) The U.S.-Mexican Border Environment: A Road Map to a Sustainable 2020. San Diego State University Press, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganster P., 1999: Tijuana, Basic Information. Institute for the Regional Studies of the Californias, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganster P., 1997: On the road to interdependence? The United States-Mexico border region. In: Ganster P., Sweedler A., Scott J. and Dieter-Eberwein W. (eds), Borders and Border Regions in Europe and North America. Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganster P., Sweedler A., Scott J., Eberwein W.-D. (eds), 1997: Borders and Border Regions in Europe and North America. Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garreau J., 1991: Edge City. Doubleday, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerston L. and Christensen L., 1999: California Politics and Government 5 th. Harcourt Brace College Publishers, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guillén Lopez T. and Sparrow G., 2000: Governance and administrative boundaries. In: San Diego-Tijuana International Border Area Planning Atlas. Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrigan J., 1993: Political Change in the Metropolis. Harper Collins, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris C.D. and Ullman E.L., 1945: The Nature of Cities. Ann. Am. Acad. Polit. Soc. Sci. 242: 7–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herzog L., 2000: Cross border planning and cooperation. In: Ganster P. (ed.), The U.S.-Mexican Border Environment: A Road Map to a Sustainable 2020. San Diego State University Press, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Louv R., 1983: America II. Jeremy P Tarcher, Inc., Los Angeles.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martinez O., 1994: Border People. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohmae K., 1995: The End of the Nation State: The Rise of Regional Economies. The Free Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peach J. and Williams J., 2000: Population and economics dynamics on the U.S.-Mexican border: Past, present and future. In: Ganster P. (ed.), The U.S.-Mexican Border Environment: A Road Map to a Sustainable 2020. San Diego State University Press, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peirce N., 2000: The growing importance of city-states. San Diego Union Tribune, January 10.

  • Peirce N. and Johnson C., 1999: The Millennium Project: Tear Down This Wall? San Diego Magazine 51: 12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peirce N., 1993: Citistates. Seven Locks Press, Washington D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pryde P., 1992: San Diego: An Introduction to the Region. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., Dubuque.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinones S., 2000: To transform the nation, new president must help build the cities. San Diego Union-Tribune, July 16.

  • San Diego Dialogue, 1994: Who Crosses The Border. University of California San Diego, La Jolla.

  • Sassen S., 1991: The Global City. Princeton University Press, Princeton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Savitch H.V. and Vogel R.K. (eds), 1996: Regional Politics. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt S., 1997: Stereotypes, culture and cooperation in the US-Mexican borderlands. In: Ganster P., Sweedler A., Scott J. and Dieter-Eberwein W. (eds), Borders and Border Regions in Europe and North America. Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott A.J., Agnew J., Soja E.W. and Storper M., 1999: Global City-Regions. Theme paper prepared for the conference on Global City-Regions, University of California Los Angeles.

  • Scott J.W. 1999: ‘European and North American Contexts for Cross-border Regionalism.’ Regional Studies 33(7): 605–617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott J., Sweedler A., Ganster P. and Dieter Eberwein W., 1997: Dynamics of transboundary interaction in comparative perspective. In: Ganster P., Sweedler A., Scott J. & Dieter-Eberwein W. (eds), Borders and Border Regions in Europe and North America. Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephens G.R. and Wikstrom N., 2000: Metropolitan Government and Governance. Oxford University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber S., 1998: Trilateralizing higher education: Building on practice. In: Clement N. and Sparrow G. (eds), Integrating Higher Education in North America: From Wingspread to San Diego. Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willoughby R., 1997: Immigration, race, and security on the California-Mexico border region. In: Ganster P., Sweedler A., Scott J. and Dieter-Eberwein W. (eds), Borders and Border Regions in Europe and North America. Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias, San Diego.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sparrow, G. San Diego–Tijuana: Not quite a binational city or region. GeoJournal 54, 73–83 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021144816403

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021144816403

Navigation