Preview: Chapter 10 of Territorial Disputes in the Americas
Territorial Disputes in the Americas (released August 20, 2025) offers a comprehensive exploration of the continent’s territorial conflicts. Chapter 10, “Conclusive Remarks, Limitations, and Future Implications,” synthesizes the monograph’s findings, underscores the multidimensional approach’s significance, and charts paths for future research. As the final installment of my 10-week chapter reveal series, this preview, grounded in my work, highlights key insights. Dive into how this approach reframes disputes like Falklands/Malvinas and Antarctica, and join the conversation on peacebuilding.
Synthesizing the Multidimensional Approach
Chapter 10 consolidates the monograph’s analysis of territorial disputes in the Americas, building on Núñez’s earlier works (my 2017, 2020, 2023 trilogy). Unlike traditional unidimensional studies in law, political science, or international relations, the multidimensional approach—introduced in Núñez 2023—integrates agents (states, communities, individuals), players (hosts, participants), contexts (domestic, regional, international), realms (factual, normative, axiological), and modes of existence (ideal, natural, cultural, metaphysical). This framework, applied across Chapters 4–9, reveals common roots (e.g., colonial legacies, Chapter 4), diverse agents (e.g., indigenous groups, Chapter 8), and interwoven dynamics (e.g., realpolitik, Chapter 9). By embracing linear (vertical, horizontal, transversal) and nonlinear (self-referred, chaotic) perspectives, it captures rational and emotional factors—nationalism, leaders’ prestige, cultural identity—challenging fragmented disciplinary analyses.
Key Findings
The monograph identifies critical insights:
- Sovereignty and Pluralism: Disputes intertwine sovereignty with diverse agents and contexts (Chapter 2), from states (Chapter 7) to indigenous and implanted populations (Chapter 8).
- Common Roots: Colonialism, neo-colonialism, and colonial mindsets fuel disputes (Chapters 4–6), with external powers (e.g., US, UK) influencing outcomes (Chapter 6).
- Regional Guarantors: Institutions like the OAS enhance peacebuilding (Chapter 7), as seen in Argentina–Chile resolutions (e.g., Beagle Channel).
- Self-Determination: Indigenous and black self-determination challenge territorial integrity but need not lead to secession (Chapter 8, e.g., Mapuche co-management).
- Antarctica’s Complexity: The ATS “freezes” sovereignty, benefiting powerful states unless shared sovereignty is adopted (Chapter 9).
- Interdisciplinary Need: Unidimensional approaches (e.g., Huth’s hypotheses) are limited; multidimensionality integrates elements like resources, ethnicity, and regimes (Chapters 4–9).
This approach highlights positive synergies (e.g., regional cooperation) and negative ones (e.g., escalation risks), offering a nuanced understanding of disputes like Falklands/Malvinas, Essequibo, and the US–Mexico border.
Limitations
The monograph acknowledges constraints:
- Scope: While comprehensive, it prioritizes integration over case-specific details, omitting in-depth analysis of agents like military governments or factions (e.g., FARC, Chapter 7).
- Global Comparison: Focused on the Americas, it lacks extensive comparison with disputes elsewhere (e.g., Kashmir).
- Empirical Testing: The multidimensional approach requires real-world application to validate its efficacy, building on Núñez 2020’s global overview and Núñez 2023’s theoretical advancements.
These limitations suggest a need for detailed case studies and broader comparative research.
Research Guidelines
- Multi-, Inter- and Transdisciplinary Research: Beyond multidisciplinary studies, integrate academic and non-academic perspectives (e.g., NGOs, policymakers) to co-create solutions.
- Questioning Assumptions: Challenge disciplinary biases (e.g., legalistic views of sovereignty) using nonlinear analyses to explore unconventional interrelations.
- Emotional Awareness: Acknowledge non-rational factors (e.g., nationalism) to understand agents’ positions and foster neutral dialogue.
- Consciousness-Raising: Encourage self-awareness of scholars’ and agents’ biases (e.g., cultural, gender) to transcend isolation and promote critical analysis.
Policy Guidelines
- Regional Prevention: Strengthen OAS and Rio Treaty mechanisms to address crises (e.g., Venezuela) without external interference, per Monroe and Calvo doctrines.
- Non-Intervention: Uphold “America for the Americans” to counter neo-colonial influences (e.g., US interventions).
- Regional Guarantors: Leverage OAS and arbitrators for peaceful resolutions, avoiding interventions justified by responsibility to protect (e.g., Syria).
- Define Self-Determination: Clarify legal criteria for self-determination to resolve hermeneutical issues (e.g., Mapuche, Raizal claims).
- Promote Cooperation: Encourage models like Peru’s Temporary Permit of Permanence for Venezuelan migrants or Mapuche co-management, fostering equitable solutions.
Path Forward
Chapter 10 underscores the multidimensional approach’s value in reframing territorial disputes, offering tools for cooperation over competition. Future research should test these findings empirically, explore global comparisons, and investigate normative systems (e.g., religion’s role in peacebuilding, Chapter 7). The monograph’s rigor, drawing on diverse sources and cases, lays a foundation for advancing peacebuilding in the Americas and beyond.
Get a Sneak Peek
Explore more at drjorge.world with posts like “Multidimensional Disputes” and “Regional Peacebuilding.” Follow my weekly reveals on X (#TerritorialDisputes) and share your thoughts. Order details below.
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