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The article deals with the conflict between Venezuela and Guyana in the Essequibo border region. This long-standing dispute could escalate due to the new Latin America strategy of the USA, which includes a military deterrence strategy against the growing influence of China and Russia. Brazil has strengthened its armed forces at the borders with Venezuela and Guyana. The conflict revolves around the Essequibo territory, which is rich in oil and natural resources and affects various international treaties on border settlement between Venezuela and Guyana. There have been attempts at a settlement, but the conflict has further intensified with threats and military actions from both sides. There is hope for a peaceful solution through dialogue and negotiations. The conflict has a geostrategic dimension between the USA and Latin America and has global significance in the context of the new West-South/East conflict. [Extracted from the article]

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The conference "Un)United Europe? Borders and Border Crossings in German and Austrian Literature after 2000" took place from November 22 to 25, 2023 in Prague. The conference discussed European border discourses from various perspectives and focused on the theme of the border in literature. The event was attended by various speakers from eight countries who spoke about different aspects of the border issue. There were also plenary lectures by Jürgen Eder and Manfred Weinberg, who addressed historical-political questions and border concepts. [Extracted from the article]

While the discussion in historical scholarship to date has focused undoubtedly on Wilson’s importance to the postulate of national self-determination, this paper shifts the focus and shows that the linchpin of Wilson’s thinking was democracy. First, in this article the development of Wilson’s positioning on democracy and national self-determination is unfolded in detail. Then, the discussion of the concepts of leading nation-state actors in Germany, Poland, and Czechoslovakia is summarized. In particular, it becomes clear that the debate about democracy and nationhood in these states was by no means first triggered by Wilson and his slogans. The following section examines the impact of Wilson’s postulates on the contention over disputed border territories. Specifically, it deals with an area of neighboring regions—Upper Silesia, Teschen Silesia, and the Orava River—that found themselves in a tri-border area between Germany, Poland, and Czechoslovakia during the transition period after World War I. The following section examines the impact of Wilson’s postulates on contested border areas. With regard to these regions, his ideas were by no means without effect. Along the lines of the core idea that peoples should be able to decide for themselves who governs them, and thus should also decide for themselves on their state affiliation, referendums were scheduled in the three regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Germanoslavica - Zeitschrift für Germanoslawische Studien is the property of Slovansky ustav AV CR, v.v.i. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Nachhaltigkeitsrecht is the property of Verlag Oesterreich GmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Moderne Staat is the property of Verlag Barbara Budrich GmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Border delimitations and border disputes were an important part of the early modern process of state formation and the consolidation of power. As such, they are often taken into consideration when studying political and dynastic issues, such as succession disputes, while maps are frequently studied as a form of visualisation to depict territories and borders. So far, however, neither the administrative activities involved in these processes nor the border treaties (Grenzrezesse) which constitute the most important type of source for this area of research have been studied. The aim of this paper is to examine this topic using the principality of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel as an example. This principality saw the creation and later on the expansion of administrative structures concerned with border issues from the 16th century onwards. The central aspect analysed in this paper is the process of how border disputes were settled. This was mostly achieved through border commissions. Each party involved in the conflict assigned representatives, both officials of the administrative institutions responsible for border issues (Grenzbehörden) as well as privy councillors (Geheime Räte) to serve as commissioners on these commissions. The result of their work were border treaties. These include narrationes explaining the circumstances of the conflict and of the commission, while the dispositiones comprise the articles listing the terms that had been agreed upon. Compared to administrative records pertaining to border disputes (Grenzakten), border treaties generally offer more information. This is why, when researching these phenomena, this distinctly early modern type of charter is of particular importance. It can serve as a compendium of an entire border dispute and, if there is a proper archival description, as a sort of finding aid for the record in question. This paper therefore also analyses the history of the development of this type of charter. Boundary maps, the third type of source discussed served to visualize and delineate the demarcation of borders, but seem to have been of rather minor importance at the time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Podrinje region -- the basin surrounding the middle and lower course of the Drina River -- as a contact zone between Austria-Hungary and Serbia in the period between the Berlin Congress of 1878 and the outbreak of the First World War. In particular, the author examines the decades-long dispute about the exact demarcation of the boundary in the Drina River. To this end, the article demonstrates the links between the dynamic bilateral relationship, the ever-changing natural space and the diplomatic progress and setbacks regarding the border dispute. At the same time, it points to the important role played by the exchange of knowledge and the potential for conflict in this contact zone, thereby indicating how Podrinje region can be characterized as a space of both contact and confrontation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The renowned historian Moshe Zimmermann published the book "Never Peace? Israel at a Crossroads" in response to the conflict along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. He sheds light on Israel's history since the Six-Day War in 1967 and emphasizes the need to find ways out of the cycle of violence. Zimmermann criticizes both the Israeli government and the Palestinian side, and despite resistance, continues to advocate for a two-state solution. [Extracted from the article]

The UN Resolution 181 (II) of 1947 was the first step taken by the UN to solve the Palestinian problem. The resolution was adopted due to the Palestinian problem and the revelations about the Holocaust. The UN General Assembly decided to establish a special committee, the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP), to examine the situation on the ground and develop proposals for a solution. The committee unanimously voted for the abolition of the British mandate, and seven members supported the partition of Palestine. The future of Palestine was of political and strategic importance to Great Britain and other major powers. The United Nations, in Resolution 181 (II) on November 29, 1947, supported the partition of Palestine, with an Arab-Palestinian state to be established on 43% of the territory and a Jewish state on 56% of the area. Jerusalem was to be placed under international administration. The planned demarcation of borders led to conflicts between Jewish and Arab militias, which escalated in April 1948 and resulted in the first Arab-Israeli war. Israel emerged victorious from this war, and the 1949 armistice lines became the internationally recognized borders of Israel. The chances for an Arab-Palestinian state were undermined by the Israeli occupation of territories and their incorporation into Jordan. Resolution 181 (II) still serves as the legal basis for the state of Israel and the Palestinian claim to their own state. [Extracted from the article]

The article describes the development of India since its independence in 1947. Despite challenges such as a large population and a hierarchical caste system, India has emerged as an emerging country. It has experienced strong economic growth and is predicted to become a future major power. In terms of foreign policy, India has had historical border conflicts with Pakistan and China, as well as the aspiration to be a regional power in the Indian Ocean. India has formed various international alliances and faces challenges such as population growth, inequality, poverty, and climate change. [Extracted from the article]

The article examines the territorial self-perception of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) as it was expressed in a prolonged border dispute on the German-French border. It mentions how the FRG's ambivalent position regarding these border corrections was exploited by right-wing activists to undermine state policy. It also mentions FRG government's attempt to have the treaty ratified in the Bundestag was foiled by the intervention of a group of conservative jurists.

The article focuses on tensions between the Kingdom of Serbia and the Austrian Empire-Hungary, after the Bosnian annexation crisis. It mentions peaceful resolution of border incidents and talks for the establishment of the new western border between Serbia and Austria and aim of to examine it as a marginal border dispute, and above all as an aspect decisive for Serbo-Austrian diplomatic relations. It also mentions peaceful talks between the local representatives of Bosnian Muslims and Belgrade continued to justify acts of defiance and provocations such as sending Macedonian soldiers to the Drina border.

Copyright of Moderna Sprak is the property of Institutionen for Moderna Sprak and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article is dedicated to the history of the border demarcation between the Soviet Ukraine and Russia during the time of the revolutionary changes in the years 1917-1920. The question of a Russian-Ukrainian border was only raised following the fall of the autocracy, when the Ukrainian Central Council in Kiev made demands for Ukrainian autonomy and began to deal with the problem of the territorial structure of the Ukraine. Admittedly, the Ukrainian Central Council did justify its territorial demands with ethnographic arguments as early as in spring 1917, but the Ukrainian side failed to assert its position in its negotiations with the Provisional Government in Petrograd. Following the change of power in Russia the Ukrainian People's Republic, with a territory made up from all areas with a majority of Ukrainian residents, was proclaimed in Kiev. The Lenin Government did in fact acknowledge the borders of the Ukraine, which were established in November 2017, but strove for a Soviet Ukraine in a subordinate position. During the border demarcation between the Ukrainian and Russian Soviet Republics later on the ethnographic aspect lost more and more of its importance and, as a result, the border changes of 1920 were mostly based on economic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even after the restoration of a sovereign Polish state the formation of the Polish border in the East remained for a long time a matter under dispute. The border demarcation in the East was complicated, not only due to ethnic factors, but also because of the controversial views on this issue held by the larger political groups close to Dmowski and Pilsudski. The delineation of the Eastern border was to a large extent the result of bitter fights and the compromises deriving from them. The Eastern Polish border was not just a border between two hostile political systems, closed for many years and sustaining tense relationships between the two countries during the entire period between the two wars. In many individual sections the border also had an artificial character, as it separated a large number of historically developed villages as well as local social groups and families, so that relatives and family members frequently found themselves on opposite sides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a discussion on the study of agrarian conflicts along the Moselle River and on the Eifel mountain plateau during the High Middle Ages. The author presents arguments in support of theses about the ubiquity of conflicts between landowners and agricultural laborers during the Middle Ages, the dating of the first recorded disagreements about common lands and forests, and the shifting of conflict relationships from landowners and laborers to farmers in competition with other farmers for shared resources. The author also examines potential links between the rise of community organization and agricultural conflict resolutions in the 13th century.

The South China Sea is one of the most important und largest semi-enclosed seas in the world and a significant area of regional and international shipping lanes, particularly the Strait of Malacca. The area includes more than 200 islands, rocks and reefs and is rich in natural resources such as oil and natural gas, but also in living maritime resources. The islands are important for strategic and political reasons, especially since Asia's economy growth, and therefore the competing territorial claims over the South China Sea and its resources are numerous. In addition to traditional security threats the region and its maritime security is also plagued by non-traditional threats like piracy, maritime terrorism and illegal trade of arms, drugs and human beings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the conference "Die Rolle der Wissenschaften bei der Nationenbildung in Lateinamerika (1810-1925)" ("The Role of the Sciences in the Nation-Building in Latin America (1810-1925)") held in Berlin, Germany from November 18-20, 2010. Topics discussed include state formation of the United States during the 19th century, the territorial disputes between Argentina and Chile from 1872 to 1881, the role of foreign scientists in the development of anthropological studies in Peru.

The article presents the summary of a conference that focused on cartography from the Middle Ages to the modern era. It was held from August 30 to September 2, 2010 in Münster, Germany. Topics under discussion at the conference included a discussion of the criteria of political maps, the political cartography in the Middle Ages, as well as the conflicts surrounding boundaries in the Münster region of Germany.

The article offers information on legal developments related to the United Nations (UN). 2007 and 2008 are stated to have been the most productive years in the history of the International Court of Justice (IGH) of the UN. The IGH has given judgments in the case involving Malaysia and Singapore over the issue of sovereignty of the territories including Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge. In the lawsuit involving Nicaragua and the U.S., the IGH has ruled that the U.S. had violated international law by supporting Contra guerrillas in the war against the Nicaraguan government. At the 60th conference of the International Law Commission (ILC) issues concerning international contract treaties and disaster relief were discussed.

On its way into the European Union Croatia still faces various hurdles. The most pressing problems vary from the current border dispute with Slovenia to corruption issues. Croatia's way to accession has been set back numerous times mainly by intergovernmental political differences on the highest level up to the point where a realistic membership date exceeds the year 2010. Yet, at the same time public opinion in Croatia on joining the EU has gone downhill within the last decade. The article tries to explain whether, to what extent and why the population of Croatia is in doubt about the European Union, while at the same time the political elites have been pushing continuously for an accession, seemingly disregarding public opinion on the issue. The level of euroscepticism in Croatia exceeds that of other candidate countries like Macedonia and Turkey by far and is roughly on the same level as the bottom five countries of the EU-27. Euroscepticism in Croatia is driven by unique as well as by already known variables such as lack of knowledge about the EU, insufficient information, fear of economic disadvantages or lack of trust in national as well as supranational institutions. However, probably the most important reason for the high level of euroscepticism in Croatia is the fear of losing national identity as well as sovereignty, which is in part caused or at least strengthened by the independence war in the mid 1990s and its consequences. Croatia's political elites on the other hand strive for a quick accession to the EU. This sociopolitical constellation poses a complex situation for the political stakeholders, who have to consider both the public opinion as well as external reform pressures, often resulting in loss of credibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Croatian government has proclaimed membership in the EU as its primary goal in foreign policy and is aiming to conclude technical negotiations by the end of 2009 and become a full member of the EU by 2011 at the latest. However, despite some progress in the reform progress, Slovenia's veto could jeopardize Croatia's roadmap to EU membership. Since December 2008 Ljubljana has been blocking several stages of Croatia's EU accession negotiations, because of a long-standing border dispute with the southern neighbour. The two former Yugoslav republics have been unable to agree on a sliver of land and the Adriatic Sea border since they jointly proclaimed independence in 1991. Currently Slovenia attempts to cash in its EU membership by solving the dispute, which centres on Slovenia's access to international waters, while Zagreb requests a solution according to the rules of international law and insists that the border dispute remains a bilateral issue and that its resolution is not a prerequisite for EU membership. The next few months will be crucial for Croatia's way towards EU membership as well as for the future relationship between the two neighbours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses border disputes between Cambodia and Thailand, which bring 4.6 square kilometers into question, and notably contain the Preah Vihear Hindu temple complex. The complex was built by the Khmer empire in the 16th century. In 2011, tourism to the site was expected to bring over 3 million visitors. The dispute began a century ago due to borders drawn by imperial powers and was brought before the International Court in the Hague in the mid-twentieth century. The author argues that a quick solution is desirable and suggests bi-national ownership of the territory.

The article discusses the findings of research into a decades long legal dispute between two medieval dominions disputing boundaries and ownership of five villages in the Po Valley, in northern Italy. The judicial "duel" was in part investigated through "trial" by testimony of witnesses to establish the geographic boundaries. This sort of ordeal came to replace trials by combat or those involving the application of glowing iron or hot or cold water. The evolution of trials by ordeal and of the ordeals themselves are discussed as beginning in the context of the Hohenstaufen dynasty.

The article presents a critical response to the article "Krieg," by Herfried Münkler that is published in this issue. The author responds to Münkler's use of the terms duel and symmetry as they pertain to definitions of war. Additionally, he addresses the separation between territories and states and discusses the problem of territoriality and war.