Dwelling trends in border regions - towards an inter-urban discourse analysis

Effects of population mobility resulting from uneven development in border regions can be perceived very differently by city councils or planners and the local population. This paper focuses on the perceptions of the effects of population mobility and dwelling in a transnational cross-border polycentric metropolitan region in Western Europe. The economic development of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg calls for a constant expansion of the labour market, attracting cross-border commuters and a ‘highly mobile elite’. The concomitant rise in property prices as well as the extreme housing shortages in Luxembourg have led to an expansion of the housing market into the border regions. So far studies have mostly dealt with the socio-demographic characteristics of the transmigrants. This research aims to detect people’s perceptions of the phenomenon by applying a discourse analysis, thus helping to trigger an increasing awareness for the emerging transnational housing market.