Territorial dispute refers to a disagreement over the ownership or control of a limited piece of land. These disputes can arise due to the conflicting historical claims of the area, its cultural significance, or even its access to natural resources. They can be a source of tension between States, leading to military confrontations and diplomatic negotiations if they are not resolved.
In some cases, territorial disputes can be triggered by a State’s attempt to conquest territory belonging to another. In others, they can be triggered by the declaration of an independent entity which asserts sovereignty over the territory in question.
The shape of the territory in question is not usually at issue in these conflicts, although political constraints might prevent challenger States from bringing territorial agreements containing concessions back home for ratification. For example, leaders of democratic challenger States might be sensitive to electoral cycles and be reluctant to bring back treaties containing territorial concessions that might negatively affect their vote share.
However, the international response to Russia’s open assault on this norm has gotten caught up in a larger contest over the future of the world order—and the dominant position of the United States. Without a new global politics that commits to upholding this norm, we will see more of these territorial disputes, many of which could turn into full-blown wars between the most heavily armed States on Earth. The erosion of this norm also threatens the broader set of principles that protect territorial borders from forcible change.
About the Author
