Vigilantism. A phenomenon of the border?

Even in modern states, vigilantism is frequently observable and challenges the institutional and normative fundaments of modern statehood. Referring to a case study of a vigilante group at the German-Czech border, the paper discusses recent theories, which deal with causes for vigilantism. This discussion aims to modify and to combine apparently conflicting theories. According to my perspective, vigilantism should not only be seen as a phenomenon of geographical frontiers, but also as the outcome of a generally peripheral position. Additionally, the case study stresses the importance of the perception of the vigilante actors.