Explaining Secession¹

Simultaneously destroying and creating order, secession is a watershed event marked by significant political change: the rise and fall of regional and global powers, new patterns of international and domestic alliances, and sudden opportunities for states and groups to improve or defend their relative positions. Secession stands solidly at the intersection of domestic and international politics. It is therefore hardly surprising that secession is a subject of interdisciplinary interest, and has been analyzed from the perspectives of political science, economics, sociology, philosophy, and law. Finally, secession is not simply of academic interest, but concerns policymakers and governments around the globe which must cope with it on a frustratingly frequent basis.