This study examines the manner in which the often-mentioned barrier effect of the Finnish-Russian border as well as the greater interaction, enabled by the gradual opening of the border, is perceived among actors involved in cross-border co-operation or interaction. The discussion concerning the dominant and influential debates in the studies of borders and border regions provides the analytical framework within which the study is carried out. It is a composition of several proposals, which taken together suggest that, first and foremost, borders are barriers for interaction. They have...