Patrons and Clients in Statehood Conflicts

Abstract

This panel focuses on issues of patronage in statehood conflict, bringing important contributions to the debate, that has been dominated by Russia's role in Eastern Europe conflict and becomes especially important followed Russia's renewed aggression, war and invasion of Ukraine since 2022. Russia's patronage of Abkhazia is revisited through a new prism of ontological security, and Russia's role in conflicts in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine is analysed through the lens of informality theories to expand on the issue of passportisation in specific. The panel also touches upon inter-patron relations, which remain relative unexplored, as well as Turkey's role in northern Cyprus, a case of patronage relatively neglected. Last but not least, external patronage by non-state actors is also analysed, therefore making a contribution to what has been a rather state-centric discussion.

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