Abstract

Ethnic conflicts have shaped the 20th century in significant ways. While the legacy of the last century is primarily one of many unresolved conflicts, the author contends that Western Europe has a track record in containing and settling ethnic conflicts which provides valuable lessons for conflict management elsewhere. Focusing on ethno-territorial crossborder conflicts in Alsace, the Saarland, South Tyrol, and Northern Ireland, Andorra and the New Hebrides, the author develops a four-dimensional analytical framework that synthesizes the distinct factors that influence the complex relationship between host-state, kin-state, actors in the disputed territory, and in the international context.

Stefan Wolff was educated at the University of Leipzig, Germany. He received an MPhil from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from the London School of Economics. He is currently Chair in Political Science at the University of Nottingham.

"... this is a useful study for its emphasis on the role of the kin state ... Aside from a bibliography there is also a list of useful Web sources for relevant documents ... Recommended."  · Choice