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The Making of the Territorial Order: New Borders and the Emergence of Interstate Conflict

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  • Carter, David B.
  • Goemans, H. E.

Abstract

We argue that new international borders are rarely new. We propose that when states choose new borders they use previous administrative frontiers to solve a difficult short-term bargaining problem and a long-term coordination problem. With a unique new set of data collected specifically for this project, we systematically examine the new international borders of the twentieth century resulting from secession, partition, and the use of force. New international borders, we find, are drawn not according to principles of “nationalism” or defensible borders, but rather according to previous administrative frontiers. How borders are drawn has important consequences for international stability: borders drawn along previously existing internal or external administrative frontiers experience fewer future territorial disputes and have a much lower risk of militarized confrontation if a dispute emerges.

Suggested Citation

  • Carter, David B. & Goemans, H. E., 2011. "The Making of the Territorial Order: New Borders and the Emergence of Interstate Conflict," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 65(2), pages 275-309, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:intorg:v:65:y:2011:i:02:p:275-309_00
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Rob Williams, 2022. "Turning the lights on to keep them in the fold: How governments preempt secession attempts," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 39(4), pages 422-446, July.
    2. Áslaug Ásgeirsdóttir & Martin Steinwand, 2015. "Dispute settlement mechanisms and maritime boundary settlements," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 119-143, June.
    3. David B. Carter & H. E. Goemans, 2014. "The temporal dynamics of new international borders," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 31(3), pages 285-302, July.
    4. Guy Schvitz & Luc Girardin & Seraina Rüegger & Nils B. Weidmann & Lars-Erik Cederman & Kristian Skrede Gleditsch, 2022. "Mapping the International System, 1886-2019: The CShapes 2.0 Dataset," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 66(1), pages 144-161, January.
    5. David B Carter, 2017. "History as a double-edged sword," Politics, Philosophy & Economics, , vol. 16(4), pages 400-421, November.
    6. Bluhm, Richard & Hodler, Roland & Schaudt, Paul, 2021. "Local majorities: How administrative divisions shape comparative development," Economics Working Paper Series 2110, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science.
    7. à slaug à sgeirsdóttir & Martin C. Steinwand, 2018. "Distributive Outcomes in Contested Maritime Areas," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 62(6), pages 1284-1313, July.
    8. Andrew P. Owsiak & Paul F. Diehl & Gary Goertz, 2017. "Border settlement and the movement toward and from negative peace," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 34(2), pages 176-193, March.
    9. Razvan Stefanescu & Ramona Dumitriu, 2019. "The Economic Dimension of A Decision on a Territorial Exchange: Southern Bessarabia for Northern Dobruja," Risk in Contemporary Economy, "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, pages 226-236.
    10. Anastasia N. Nadunja & Tunde Ahmed Afolabi, 2024. "Investigating the Impact of Border Security Measures in Mitigating Smuggling: A Case Study of the Namibia-Angola Border," Journal of Scientific Reports, IJSAB International, vol. 7(1), pages 40-59.
    11. David B. Carter & Paul Poast, 2017. "Why Do States Build Walls? Political Economy, Security, and Border Stability," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 61(2), pages 239-270, February.

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