Creating New States : Theory and Practice of Secession

Secession is the creation of a new independent state out of an existing state. This key volume examines the political, social and legal processes of the practice of secession. Following an analysis of secessionist movements and their role in attempts at secession, eight case studies are explored to illustrate peaceful, violent, sequential and recursive secessions. This is followed by a look at the theoretical approaches and a discussion that focuses on the economic causes. Normative theories of secession are discussed as well as the status of secession in legal theory and practice. The book systematizes our present knowledge of secessions in an accessible way to readers not familiar with the phenomenon and its consequences. It is ideal as a supplementary text to courses on contemporary political and social movements, applied ethics and political philosophy, international relations and international law, state sovereignty and state formation.

Secession is the creation of a new independent state out of an existing state. This key volume examines the political, social and legal processes of the practice of secession. Following an analysis of secessionist movements and their role in attempts at secession, eight case studies are explored to illustrate peaceful, violent, sequential and recursive secessions. This is followed by a look at the theoretical approaches and a discussion that focuses on the economic causes. Normative theories of secession are discussed as well as the status of secession in legal theory and practice.

The book systematizes our present knowledge of secessions in an accessible way to readers not familiar with the phenomenon and its consequences. It is ideal as a supplementary text to courses on contemporary political and social movements, applied ethics and political philosophy, international relations and international law, state sovereignty and state formation.

Contents......Page 6 List of Maps......Page 8 List of Boxes......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Introduction......Page 14 1 What is Secession?......Page 18 PART I: SECESSION IN PRACTICE......Page 44 2 Secessions and Secessionist Movements......Page 46 3 Peaceful Secessions: Norway, Slovakia and Quebec......Page 78 4 Violent Secessions: Biafra, Bangladesh, Chechnya......Page 108 5 Multiple Secessions and State Dissolution: The USSR and Yugoslavia......Page 142 PART II: SECESSION IN THEORY......Page 182 Theoretical Approaches to Secession: An Introduction......Page 184 6 Explanatory Theories......Page 186 7 Normative Theories......Page 212 8 Secession and the Law......Page 234 9 Why New States?......Page 254 Appendix......Page 270 Bibliography......Page 274 C......Page 284 E......Page 285 L......Page 286 P......Page 287 S......Page 288 Y......Page 290 The First Part Of This Volume Deals With The Practice Of Secessions. Eight Case Studies Then Follow Which Illustrate Peaceful, Violent, Sequential And Recursive Secessions. Part Two Deals With The Theoretical Approaches. What Is Secession? -- Secessions And Secessionist Movements -- Peaceful Secessions : Norway, Slovakia And Quebec -- Violent Secessions : Biafra, Bangladesh, Chechnya -- Multiple Secessions And State Dissolution : The Ussr And Yugoslavia -- Explanatory Theories -- Normative Theories -- Secession And The Law -- Why New States? Aleksandar Pavković With Peter Radan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [261]-269) And Index. What is secession? Secessions and secessionist movements Peaceful secession : Norway, Slovakia and Quebec Violent secession: Biafra, Bangladesh, Chechnya Multiple secessions and dissolution of states : the USSR and Yugoslavia Explanatory theories Normative theories Secession and the law Why new states? Examined through political, social and legal processes, the first part of this volume deals with the practice of secessions. Part two deals with the theoretical approaches and starts with a discussion of theories that attempt to explain why and how secessions take place and the economic causes This key volume examines the political, social and legal processes of the practice of secession, carefully illustrated by eight case studies. It systematizes our present knowledge of secession in an accessible way to readers not familiar with the phenomenon and its consequences