Contested states in world politics

Contested states is the novel term used here for pretender states that fail to attract collective recognition through the UN. Lacking the 'birth certificate' of confirmed statehood, the non-recognized states are condemned to life in international limbo. Among them are Taiwan, Northern Cyprus, Somaliland, Kosovo and Abkhazia. The degree of their diplomatic isolation varies, from Somaliland that has no formal recognition to Kosovo whose self-proclaimed statehood has been recognized by over 40 states. The key feature of all these aspirant states is that their claims to statehood are being contested by the vast majority of existing states, thus causing serious tension in their respective neighbourhoods. To help us understand why they emerge, how they behave and where they may be heading, this book offers an original analytical framework and presents detailed case studies of ten contemporary contested states.