Contested States and Disputed Sovereignties

Abstract

Secessionist movements were seemingly facing a new dawn in 2008: Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence was recognised by most Western states and Russia and three other states have recognised Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's independence. This fuelled optimism in other secessionist entities and observers began to suggest that the principle of territorial integrity was softening. However, the forceful reintegration of Tamil Eelam into its parent state in 2009, and the subsequent subdued international criticism of Sri Lanka, suggests that the preservation of territorial integrity remains the main priority. Although peace agreements have increasingly found ways to 'blur' sovereignty over disputed territories, parent states are still more than reluctant to agree to anything that could be seen to jeopardise their territorial integrity and secessionist entities remain bend on full independence. This panel analyses the changing dynamics of these contested states and disputed sovereignties and examines possible strategies for resolving such conflicts. It raises questions such as: Have the international norms of secession changed? Have Kosovo's recognition, the Georgian-Russian war and Sri Lanka's military offensive led to any systemic-level shifts? Moreover, how do secessionist entities legitimise their demand for independence: do they emphasise national self-determination and alleged human rights violations, do they focus on hegemonic values such as democracy, or do they seek powerful allies? Finally, how sustainable are secessionist entities and to what extent does this sustainability depend on the support of an external patron.

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