|
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
|
Why Do Neighbors Fight? Proximity, Interaction, or Territoriality
John A. Vasquez
Department of Political Science, Vanderbilt University
Most interstate wars are fought or begin between neighbors. This relationship between contiguity and war has long been known, but ignored within peace research. The major reason for this is that it has been seen as essentially a trivial relationship, reflecting the opportunity for war rather than the real underlying cause of war. Recent work on territory and the issues over which wars are fought has begun to question that interpretation. This article maintains that the clustering of war among neighbors may be theoretically significant. It presents a territorial explanation of the relationship and juxtaposes it with the proximity and interaction explanations. Each of the three explanations is appraised in terms of explicit criteria to see which is the most adequate. Ultimately, however, each explanation must specify a set of tests that would falsify it, and this article does so for the territorial explanation. The article concludes with some implications for peace in the post-Cold War era if the theoretical explanation is correct.
Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 32, No. 3,
277-293 (1995)
DOI: 10.1177/0022343395032003003
 CiteULike  Complore  Connotea  Del.icio.us  Digg  Reddit  Technorati  Twitter What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
|
|
 
K. S. Gleditsch, I. Salehyan, and K. Schultz
Fighting at Home, Fighting Abroad: How Civil Wars Lead to International Disputes
Journal of Conflict Resolution,
August 1, 2008;
52(4):
479 - 506.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Hegre
Gravitating toward War: Preponderance May Pacify, but Power Kills
Journal of Conflict Resolution,
August 1, 2008;
52(4):
566 - 589.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Robst, S. Polachek, and Y.-C. Chang
Geographic Proximity, Trade, and International Conflict/Cooperation
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
February 1, 2007;
24(1):
1 - 24.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Buhaug
Relative Capability and Rebel Objective in Civil War
Journal of Peace Research,
November 1, 2006;
43(6):
691 - 708.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Tir
Domestic-Level Territorial Disputes: Conflict Management via Secession
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
September 1, 2006;
23(4):
309 - 328.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. L. Quackenbush
Identifying Opportunity for Conflict: Politically Active Dyads
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
February 1, 2006;
23(1):
37 - 51.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. A. Simmons
Rules over Real Estate: Trade, Territorial Conflict, and International Borders as Institution
Journal of Conflict Resolution,
December 1, 2005;
49(6):
823 - 848.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Tir
Keeping the Peace after Secession: Territorial Conflicts Between Rump and Secessionist States
Journal of Conflict Resolution,
October 1, 2005;
49(5):
713 - 741.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. Rumelili
Liminality and Perpetuation of Conflicts: Turkish-Greek Relations in the Context of Community-Building by the EU
European Journal of International Relations,
June 1, 2003;
9(2):
213 - 248.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. Chiozza and A. Choi
Guess Who Did What: Political Leaders and the Management of Territorial Disputes, 1950-1990
Journal of Conflict Resolution,
June 1, 2003;
47(3):
251 - 278.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Wilkenfeld, K. Young, V. Asal, and D. Quinn
Mediating International Crises: Cross-National and Experimental Perspectives
Journal of Conflict Resolution,
June 1, 2003;
47(3):
279 - 301.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Lee Ray
Explaining Interstate Conflict and War: What Should Be Controlled for?
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
January 1, 2003;
20(2):
1 - 31.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. G. SAMPLE
The Outcomes of Military Buildups: Minor States vs. Major Powers
Journal of Peace Research,
November 1, 2002;
39(6):
669 - 691.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. BUHAUG and S. GATES
The Geography of Civil War
Journal of Peace Research,
July 1, 2002;
39(4):
417 - 433.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. PICKERING
War-weariness and Cumulative Effects: Victors, Vanquished, and Subsequent Interstate Intervention
Journal of Peace Research,
May 1, 2002;
39(3):
313 - 337.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. M. Stinnett, J. Tir, P. F. Diehl, P. Schafer, and C. Gochman
The Correlates of War (Cow) Project Direct Contiguity Data, Version 3.0
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
January 1, 2002;
19(2):
59 - 67.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Suzuki, V. Krause, and J. D. Singer
The Correlates of War Project: a Bibliographic History of the Scientific Study of War and Peace, 1964-2000
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
January 1, 2002;
19(2):
69 - 107.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. VASQUEZ and M. T. HENEHAN
Territorial Disputes and the Probability of War, 1816-1992
Journal of Peace Research,
March 1, 2001;
38(2):
123 - 138.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. A. Vasquez
Mapping the Probability of War and Analyzing the Possibility of Peace: the Role of Territorial Disputes
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
January 1, 2001;
18(2):
145 - 173.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Shin and M. D. Ward
Lost in Space: Political Geography and the Defense-Growth Trade-Off
Journal of Conflict Resolution,
December 1, 1999;
43(6):
793 - 817.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. M. Gibler
East or Further East?
Journal of Peace Research,
November 1, 1999;
36(6):
627 - 637.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. Heldt
Domestic Politics, Absolute Deprivation, and the Use of Armed Force in Interstate Territorial Disputes, 1950-1990
Journal of Conflict Resolution,
August 1, 1999;
43(4):
451 - 478.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. C. Prins and C. Sprecher
Institutional Constraints, Political Opposition, And Interstate Dispute Escalation: Evidence from Parliamentary Systems, 1946-89
Journal of Peace Research,
May 1, 1999;
36(3):
271 - 287.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. J. Enterline
Regime Changes, Neighborhoods, and Interstate Conflict, 1816-1992
Journal of Conflict Resolution,
December 1, 1998;
42(6):
804 - 829.
[Abstract]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Tir and P. F. Diehl
Demographic Pressure and Interstate Conflict: Linking Population Growth and Density to Militarized Disputes and Wars, 1930-89
Journal of Peace Research,
May 1, 1998;
35(3):
319 - 339.
[Abstract]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. P. Gleditsch
Armed Conflict and The Environment: A Critique of the Literature
Journal of Peace Research,
May 1, 1998;
35(3):
381 - 400.
[Abstract]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. G. Sample
Military Buildups, War, and Realpolitik: A Multivariate Model
Journal of Conflict Resolution,
April 1, 1998;
42(2):
156 - 175.
[Abstract]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Ben-Yehuda and S. Sandler
Crisis Magnitude and Interstate Conflict: Changes in the Arab-Israel Dispute
Journal of Peace Research,
January 1, 1998;
35(1):
83 - 109.
[Abstract]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. L. Ray
R. J. Rummel's Understanding Conflict and War: An Overlooked Classic?
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
January 1, 1998;
16(2):
125 - 147.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. FORSBERG
Explaining Territorial Disputes: From Power Politics to Normative Reasons
Journal of Peace Research,
November 1, 1996;
33(4):
433 - 449.
[Abstract]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. F. Diehl
Territorial Dimensions of International Conflict: An Introduction
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
January 1, 1996;
15(1):
1 - 5.
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. K. Huth
Enduring Rivalries and Territorial Disputes, 1950-1990
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
January 1, 1996;
15(1):
7 - 41.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. R. Hensel
Charting A Course To Conflict: Territorial Issues and Interstate Conflict, 1816-1992
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
January 1, 1996;
15(1):
43 - 73.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. M. Gibler
Alliances That Never Balance: The Territorial Settlement Treaty
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
January 1, 1996;
15(1):
75 - 97.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. D. Senese
Geographical Proximity and Issue Salience: Their Effects on the Escalation of Militarized Interstate Conflict
Conflict Management and Peace Science,
January 1, 1996;
15(2):
133 - 161.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
