Frenemy Nations - by Mary Soderstrom (Paperback)

About the Book

"How can neighbours that are geographically side by side be worlds apart politically, culturally, ideologically, and economically? In Frenemy Nations, Mary Soderstrom presents a unique perspective on the strife caused by the "narcissism of small differences" between neighbouring jurisdictions. She examines some of the world's odd couples, including Canada and the United States; Quebec and the rest of Canada; New Hampshire and Vermont; Haiti and the Dominican Republic; Brazil and Spanish-speaking Latin America; Rwanda and Burundi; and many more. While geographical proximity can make for cordial relationships, colonial histories, language, women's roles, differing levels of education, and competition for resources can also lead to conflict."--

Book Synopsis

How can neighbours that are side by side geographically be so far apart politically, culturally, ideologically, and economically?

In the summer of 1968, Mary Soderstrom and her husband loaded up their VW Beetle and immigrated to Canada from the United States. The contrast between their new home and their old led to a long-running reflection on what makes the two countries different. How could two places that are similar in so many ways be so disparate in others?

In Frenemy Nations, Soderstrom answers this question by addressing a range of geographical "odd couples" including the United States and Canada; New Hampshire and Vermont; Alberta and Saskatchewan; Haiti and the Dominican Republic; Scotland and Ireland; Rwanda and Burundi; and more. Through it all, Soderstrom shows how tiny differences--in geographic features, colonial histories, resource competition, education, women's roles, language, and migration--can have outsized effects on how polities develop.

About the Author

Mary Soderstrom is author of numerous books, including Road Through Time: The Story of Humanity on the Move and Desire Lines: Stories of Love and Geography. She lives in Montréal.