Secessionist wars and movement in the post-colonial era. Analysis and classification

Abstract

This thesis intends to analyse and classify the most important secessionist wars of post-colonial era. In the general section of the thesis, self-determination and secession are analysed from a theoretical point of view. In the first part the right to self-determination of peoples will be analysed in the international law context, focusing on the definition of the holders of the right, the peoples, and on the definition of the scope and content of the right, in relation to other principles provided by the main international law instruments related to it. The second part of the general section attempts to define the concept of secession while taking into consideration several theories of secession. Furthermore, it seeks to define and to legitimate a right to secede in international law. The second section of the thesis focuses on the analysis of the most relevant secessionist wars of post-colonial period. After having analysed the main causes of secessionist instances, the rights to self-determination and to secede will be applied in a practical context and used to study the most important cases of secession of recent years. The ultimate goal of this thesis is to classify these secessionist conflicts in light of the theoretical analysis of the right to self-determination and to secede mentioned in the general section and, by using the distinguish features of each conflict as classification criteria.