The Fence and the Bridge is about the development of the Canada-US border-security relationship as an outgrowth of the much lengthier Canada-US relationship. It suggests that this relationship has been both highly reflexive and hegemonic over time, and that such realities are embodied in the metaphorical images and texts that describe the Canada-US border over its history. Nicol argues that prominent security motifs, such as themes of free trade, illegal immigration, cross-border crime, terrorism, and territorial sovereignty are not new, nor are they limited to the post-9/11 era. They have developed and evolved at different times and become part of a larger quilt, whose patches are stitched together to create a new fabric and design. Each of the security motifs that now characterize Canada-US border perceptions and relations has a precedent in border-management strategies and border relations in earlier periods. In some cases, these have deep historical roots that date back not just years or decades but centuries. They are part of an evolving North American geopolitical logic that inscribes how borders are perceived, how they function, and what they mean.

The Fence and the Bridge is about the development of the Canada-US border-security relationship as an outgrowth of the much lengthier Canada-US relationship. It suggests that this relationship has been both highly reflexive and hegemonic over time, and that such realities are embodied in the metaphorical images and texts that describe the Canada-US border over its history. Nicol argues that prominent security motifs, such as themes of free trade, illegal immigration, cross-border crime, terrorism, and territorial sovereignty are not new, nor are they limited to the post-9/11 era. They have developed and evolved at different times and become part of a larger quilt, whose patches are stitched together to create a new fabric and design. Each of the security motifs that now characterize Canada-US border perceptions and relations has a precedent in border-management strategies and border relations in earlier periods. In some cases, these have deep historical roots that date back not just years or decades but centuries. They are part of an evolving North American geopolitical logic that inscribes how borders are perceived, how they function, and what they mean.

Selah and her best friend, Ami, look nothing alike and hail from very different neighborhoods, but that doesn't stop them from becoming best friends. They even mix and match their lunches, with Selah swapping her mom's homemade arroz con pollo for Ami's packaged cookies. The only snag in their friendship? Ami isn't allowed to cross the log bridge that spans from Meadow Park to Selah's neighborhood. According to her dad, Mr. Thrash, it's a dangerous place, full of criminals. Selah, of course, disagrees. She doesn't see danger; she sees neighbors walking down sidewalks and visiting Mr. Rodriguez's corner store. She doesn't see criminals; she sees kids of all backgrounds playing hopscotch together. On the day Ami defies her father and steps onto the log bridge, many things begin to break: Ami's arm, Selah and Ami's friendship, and the ties that once connected their two communities. What's more, Mr. Thrash becomes determined to build a fence between Meadow Park and Selah's dangerous neighborhood. Facing the prospect of losing her best friend and her favorite park, Selah takes action by tapping into her most valuable resource: her community. But can she gather enough support to defeat Mr. Thrash's proposal to build a fence? And will she ever mend the rift between herself and Ami? All she can do is speak her truth and count on people to see the humanity in others.