DeFacto Dialogues. Shifting Borders vs. Moving People: (Non-)solutions to Territorial Disputes

Considering the case of Nagorno-Karabakh, one cannot help but wonder whether the war being fought between Azerbaijan and Armenians over who controls the entity and its people could have been avoided had border modifications been taken seriously by the parties in conflict before. 

October 5, 14:15-15:45 at Lossi 36-305

Speakers: Eiki Berg & Shpend Kursani
Moderator: Kristel Vits

Protracted conflicts over territory remain unresolved. Compromise proposals put forth by third-party mediators often fall short of addressing the underlying causes of these conflicts, or they falter in their implementation on the ground. Meanwhile, parties directly involved in these disputes frequently present all-or-nothing solutions that often run counter to established international norms and practices. At the same time, history offers instances where seemingly insurmountable incompatibilities were resolved more effectively through border adjustments or land swaps, rather than resorting to population transfers or ethnic cleansing.