Irredentism in European Politics: Argumentation, Compromise and Norms

by Markus Kornprobst

Overview

Territorial disputes and irredentist disputes are very prone to escalation and very difficult to resolve. Since the end of the Second World War, however, European states have tended to resolve their irredentist disputes peacefully. Markus Kornprobst argues that this pattern has arisen due to the emergence of a territorial status quo norm in the region. A study of all territorial claims made in Europe since 1848 and in the world since 1945 provides the background for detailed examinations of German and Irish irredentism, through which the author traces the development of the territorial status quo norm based on argumentation and compromise. Developing new theoretical and methodological tools to study norm selection, this book will be of interest to scholars and students of international relations, nationalism and European studies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521895583
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/18/2008
Pages:	317
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Markus Kornprobst is Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of Political Science, University College London.

Table of Contents

Introduction; 1. Irredentism in Europe; 2. Argumentation and compromise; 3. Broadening a vision for Europe; 4. Towards a new beginning; 5. From exclusion to inclusion; 6. Constitutional change; Conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

A gem; no other study provides such a creative, sophisticated and theoretically wide-range analysis of the near demise of irredentism in Europe after World War II … Markus Kornprobst not only sets a standard for explaining broad changes in international practices, but also suggests a synthesis between constructivism and rational choice that is likely to become a signpost for future research in International relations.”
Professor Emmanuel Adler, Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto

“Irredentism in European Politics makes an important contribution to the study of argumentation and normative change in politics. It develops an innovative three-stage norm selection mechanism and a useful way of conceptualizing arguments and their effects on norm development.”
Professor Frank Schimmelfennig, Centre for Comparative and International Studies, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

“International relations scholars owe thanks to Kornprobst for deepening our understanding of how creative agents draw from incipient and existing cultural resources to lay down the tracks of international action in more peaceful directions.”
Professor Michael Barnett, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota

From the Publisher