For decades, the world was becoming increasingly “borderless.” More recently, the pendulum has begun to swing back, as three successive challenges—terrorism, migration and pandemics—put borders to the test. Here are eight key updates on borders that offer insight into contemporary world affairs.

In January, Benjamin Stora, a noted French historian of immigration, released a government-commissioned report on the memories and legacy of France’s colonization of Algeria. It raises the question: Is it possible to reckon with colonialism while simultaneously ignoring its connection to racism?