Age of Secession

What are the factors that determine how central governments respond to demands for independence? Secessionist movements are numerous and quite varied in form, but the chief obstacle to their ambitions is the state itself, which can deny independence demands, deploy force if need be, and request that the international community respect its territorial integrity by not recognizing the breakaway region. Age of Secession focuses on this crucial but neglected moment in the life of a secessionist movement. Griffiths offers a novel theory using original data on secessionist movements between 1816 and 2011. He explains how state response is shaped by international and domestic factors, when conflict is likely, and why states have proliferated since 1945. He mixes quantitative methods with case studies of secessionist movements in the United Kingdom, Russia/Soviet Union, and India. This is an important book for anyone who wants to understand the phenomenon of secession.

'Griffiths provides a simple but powerful explanation of why we live in an 'age of secession', characterized by a steep increase in the number of states since 1945, and why some secessions are peaceful while others are violent. Located at the intersection of international relations and comparative politics, the book is a finely-crafted analysis of the evolution of the modern international system.' Jason Sharman, Griffith University, Queensland, 'Ryan D. Griffiths not only greatly advances our understanding of secession but speaks to broader dynamics in international relations – the trends of colonization and decolonization and now, as he calls it, the age of secession. By using both compelling case studies and a sharply designed set of quantitative analyses, Griffiths makes a clear and convincing case for his argument that the reactions of the center to a group's separatist aspirations is the key to understanding the dynamics of fragmentation. This book is a major contribution that will be required reading for anyone seeking to understand ethnic conflict, civil war, sovereignty, and the history of international relations.' Stephen M. Saideman, Paterson Chair in International Affairs, Carleton University, Ottawa

Ryan D. Griffiths is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney. His research examines the dynamics of secession, patterns in sovereignty and international order, and he is a lead investigator on the International System(s) Dataset (ISD) Project. His work has been published in a number of journals including International Organization.