The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has redirected the attention of scholars and political analysts towards the often-forgotten frozen conflicts, now, consolidated into functioning de facto states in...Show moreThe ongoing conflict in Ukraine has redirected the attention of scholars and political analysts towards the often-forgotten frozen conflicts, now, consolidated into functioning de facto states in the Post-Soviet region. The recent opening of the official diplomatic representation of Transnistria in Moscow has sparked a series of questions regarding the intentions of the de facto state and its patron, Russia. While other de facto states, such as Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been recognised and have established official diplomatic missions in Moscow since 2008, the PMR is only taking these steps now. These developments point to a new chapter for Transnistria and raise questions regarding the statehood of the de facto state. This thesis seeks to uncover the overarching mechanisms which foster the development of de facto statehood. Considering the ‘renewal’ of negotiations in the ‘5+2’ format and the declared progress made in in terms of the ‘policy of small steps’ in Transnistria, this is a good place to start. Hence, this thesis aims to explore the causal link between peace processes and de facto statehood.Show less
Executive master thesis | International Relations and Diplomacy (MSc)
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In the last three decades there has been a global trend towards the acceptance of dual citizenship among sovereign states. Similarly, unrecognized states have come to accept dual citizenship,...Show moreIn the last three decades there has been a global trend towards the acceptance of dual citizenship among sovereign states. Similarly, unrecognized states have come to accept dual citizenship, albeit in varying degrees and for the same reasons. However, limited work has been done on dual citizenship policies of unrecognized states, with no comparative research been done amongst the unrecognized states in the post-Soviet space. This inter-disciplinary and explorative research has worked towards answering the question of what factors contribute to the adoption of divergent dual citizenship policies by unrecognized states in the post-Soviet space? By comparing Abkhazia and Transnistria, two cases having similar historical and political circumstances but having contrasting dual citizenship policies, it was possible to identify the contributory factors to these divergences. It was found that utilitarian concerns based on the need to improve the citizens’ welfare, the existence of a diaspora, the type of national identity (civic/ethnic), and the level of influence exerted by the patron state – Russia, all contribute in varying degrees to the level of liberalness of the two unrecognized states’ dual citizenship policies.Show less
