Territorial dispute is a complex form of conflict that involves claims to land, sea, and airspace between states. These disputes can significantly impact international relations and regional stability. Conflict over territorial issues typically occurs in the context of a wider range of political, economic, and security concerns. These conflicts are difficult to resolve peacefully and enduringly, and they often become militarized if diplomatic options fail. Research on territorial conflict has a long history and has contributed to a broad set of theories about state behavior, especially state motivations for engaging in conflict over territory.
Scholars have developed a variety of definitions of territorial disputes, reflecting divergent theoretical and methodological approaches. For example, Allcock et al. use a legal approach, seeking to define a territorial dispute as any situation in which a claimant state is in disagreement with another over the extent of its sovereignty over a piece of land or sea. By contrast, Huth and Allee consider any situation in which a dispute is being adjudicated by an international organization or tribunal.
Researchers have also sought to identify the underlying causes of territorial dispute and conflict management strategies for resolving them. Beth Simmons has argued that states with greater levels of economic interdependence may be more likely to compromise on their territorial claims in order to facilitate trade and investment.
Moreover, scholars have explored the long-term consequences of unresolved territorial conflict. While research on the steps-to-war framework has not focused specifically on territorial dispute, Vasquez’s work suggests that a dispute over territory can trigger an arms race and alliance formation with other states that escalates tensions and ultimately makes war more likely.
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