Territorial dispute refers to a state’s claims or assertions of sovereignty over a piece of territory – either a region, island, or sea. This type of conflict is often characterized by competition between States for resources and the potential to escalate into an armed dispute or war.
Despite the post-1945 norm against forceful territorial revision, it is still possible for a state to take disputed territory by force. This can be done through the use of a fait accompli, whereby military forces quickly advance into and hold a piece of territory without firing a shot. A well-known example of this is Russia’s 2014 acquisition of Crimea.
It is also possible for a territorial dispute to be resolved through peaceful conflict management methods. These can include negotiated settlements or resort to legal mechanisms. Studies have found that states are more likely to seek peaceful options for conflict management in cases where territorial issues are involved, but many scholars find it difficult to explain why a state would choose peaceful methods over other management options.
The most common way to classify territorial disputes is to look at them as being primarily about territory. However, this carries with it the risk of missing cases that have a more mixed or non-territorial nature. In addition, focusing on territory as a primary issue may lead researchers to ignore the influence of other factors, such as resource scarcity or locational features, that can trigger conflict.
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