Territorial disputes in the Americas
Territorial disputes[1] are more topical than ever, especially given the current crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Nevertheless, existing scholarship tends to carefully neglect the fact that these disputes are theorized and evaluated through unidimensional lenses, focusing invariably, for example, either only on scientific disciplines such as law or political science and neglecting the non-legal, non-political or non-disciplinary angles like rationality, emotion, nationalism, prejudice and perspectives. This monograph argues such unidimensional approaches need integration. More precisely, an only disciplinary—e.g. only legal or only political—approach is not enough to fully capture the complexity of these disputes. There is a pressing need for a multidimensional approach that moves away from disciplinary unidimensionality, taking into consideration other elements and factors as they are hedged around issues that are cross-disciplinary or non-disciplinary.[2]
In the particular case of the Americas, there are several territorial disputes.[3] From ongoing cases such as San Andres and Providencia and the Falkland/Malvinas Islands to already settled disputes that still bring controversy such as the Amazon and the Mexico-United States border, knowledge, understanding and assessment of territorial disputes in the Americas is fragmented. This fragmentation includes different academic and non-academic views by individuals, communities and states on the historical background as well as pertaining myriad issues such as legal, political and sociological elements and features.
A multidimensional approach that incorporates interdisciplinary as well as non-disciplinary understandings is needed because of the multi-faceted and multi-layered nature of territorial disputes. They include issues pertaining law, politics, nationalism, national identity, natural resources, prestige, and many other elements and issues with domestic, regional and international contexts. For example, while an important body of literature examines law and affect, issues of sovereignty are carefully overlooked. On the other hand, when sovereignty is examined it is usually in relation to statehood whereas the notion of affect gets sidestepped; i.e. ignoring the fact that these disputes are often highly emotional, with the participants taking the view that “victory for us is to see you suffer.”[4]
Directly linked with emotions and nationalism, an ongoing dispute guarantees a higher pay-off to leaders’ prestige, for example, by distracting from internal issues by identifying an external foe.[5] Indeed, there is a need for researchers and stakeholders to engage in understanding such territorial disputes, and consider how both rational and non-rational factors influence positions across these geopolitical divisions.
This blog series will introduce, explain and assess issues pertaining territorial disputes in the Americas including law, politics, culture, history and religion.
There will be new posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
NEXT POST:
What is a territorial dispute?
AUTHOR’S SAMPLE PEER-REVIEWED ACADEMIC RESEARCH (FREE OPEN ACCESS):
State Sovereignty: Concept and Conceptions (OPEN ACCESS) (IJSL 2024)
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Wednesday 27th November 2024
Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez
X (formerly, Twitter): https://x.com/DrJorge_World
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