States, Secessionist Movements, and the International Recognition Regime

This chapter maps out the strategic playing field to better understand the sovereignty game. It analyses the process by which an independence movement becomes a sovereign state and the rules that guide the behavior of secessionists. The chapter then defines states and secessionist movements, and outlines their relationship to one another. It examines the international recognition regime by defining it as the evolving body of international legal norms, rules, and principles that determine when an applicant nation has the right to withdraw from an existing state and become a recognized independent sovereign state. The chapter discusses how and why the regime works, how it evolves over time, and highlights the competing normative demands that sit at the heart of the regime. Using the literature on sovereignty and international law, as well as interviews with UN officials, the chapter specifies the admission process for becoming a recognized sovereign state, and the perceived pathways it creates. It further explains two dimensions of statehood that are important for the theoretical framework of the study. One dimension pertains to the inwardly focused function of the state and its ability to provide political order. The other dimension is outwardly focused and calls attention to recognition by other states.