Despite Nationalist Conflicts: Theory and Practice of Maintaining World Peace

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Description

Williams explores the effectiveness of various types of responses and strategies available to states when faced with demands for territorial revisions. She examines the situations surrounding the 19th-century unification of Germany, the breakup of Yugoslavia and the strife in Bosnia and Kosovo, and the ongoing struggle over the fate of Kashmir. The type of demand for territorial revisions, she argues, and the responses determine whether the outcome will be peace or war. While states should deter those states or groups that are imperialist, she points to the utility of pursuing a firm-but-flexible strategy toward those that are consolidationists. This analysis will be of considerable value to scholars, students, and policy makers involved with issues of contemporary nationalism, ethnic politics, and international relations.

Reviews

[A]n ambitious and theoretically informed effort to advance the important debate over the relationship between territory and ethnicity. Scholars and policy makers would do well to read and study the suggestions outlined in Williams's work.-Political Science Quarterly
Kristen P. Williams offers us a solid and much needed book that addresses the importance of territoriality in international relations. It blends historical analysis with theoretical international relations and offers a clear picture of what territoriality means, and how best to deal with it...This is a clearly written and well-organized book. It addresses a major issue in international history...It does so in an accessible manner, and shows clearly the value of applying historical knowledge to current issues in international relations. It is a satisfying first statement of the problem...-The International History Review
The author draws our attention to a major shortcoming in international relations theory that despite recurrent efforts still has not been resolved.-International Relations
"An ambitious and theoretically informed effort to advance the important debate over the relationship between territory and ethnicity. Scholars and policy makers would do well to read and study the suggestions outlined in Williams's work."-Political Science Quarterly
"[A]n ambitious and theoretically informed effort to advance the important debate over the relationship between territory and ethnicity. Scholars and policy makers would do well to read and study the suggestions outlined in Williams's work."-Political Science Quarterly
"The author draws our attention to a major shortcoming in international relations theory that despite recurrent efforts still has not been resolved."-International Relations
"Kristen P. Williams offers us a solid and much needed book that addresses the importance of territoriality in international relations. It blends historical analysis with theoretical international relations and offers a clear picture of what territoriality means, and how best to deal with it...This is a clearly written and well-organized book. It addresses a major issue in international history...It does so in an accessible manner, and shows clearly the value of applying historical knowledge to current issues in international relations. It is a satisfying first statement of the problem..."-The International History Review

Author Bio

KRISTEN P. WILLIAMS is Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles. An expert on nationalism and ethnic politics, she has written journal articles on the topic.