The Dynamics of Interstate Boundaries

Reviews / Votes

'This book masterfully crosses not only boundaries between political science subfields but also disciplinary boundaries to engage sociology and political geography. It should therefore be of interest to a variety of audiences across fields ... The detailed case studies are based on extensive fieldwork, working with primary source material in multiple languages in multiple locations. The historical material is not only fascinating in its own right, but powerfully demonstrates the utility of historically informed analysis for current border security debates ... This slim and smart book is an important contribution to our understanding of geographic and temporal variations in the practice and politics of border controls.' Political Science Quarterly 'In this marvelous book, George Gavrilis advances the key argument that the effectiveness of the management of interstate borders is not so much a consequence of state capacity as of state-building strategies. Furthermore, positive cooperation at the border ... is more likely to occur if border guards are given wide-ranging competences in day-to-day decision making rather than if borders are hierarchically managed from the center ... the arguments that Gavrilis puts forward in this book should lead policymakers and analysts alike to rethink the relationship between state building and the success of border policing ...' Perspectives on Politics 'The most important contribution of this book is to make a simple point, albeit one that is frequently missed in border studies: that border security depends on institutional design (particularly that which encourages local cross-border collaborative policing) ... its counterintuitive claim that a state which 'delegates and surrenders authority to its boundary administrators has a better chance of achieving a secure border' is given substantial support, particularly from the Central Asian case study ... This is in itself an important achievement. It is one that enthusiasts for ever tighter, centralized, and unilateral border controls in the United States and elsewhere need to reflect on before they realize the exact opposite of what they intend.' H-Net Reviews 'This brilliantly original book explains why so many attempts to secure international borders have failed. Gavrilis shows that only when neighboring states pay attention to local borderland interests and avoid micromanaging from the center can they hope to better control movement and security across frontiers. The exploration of nineteenth century Greek-Ottoman and twenty-first century Central Asian border politics are fascinating. Moreover, the policy implications for such cases as today's Afghanistan are clear. Gavrilis should make everyone who deals with border issues around the world rethink traditional but unworkable policies that continue to do so much harm.' Daniel Chirot, University of Washington 'What are the conditions under which international borders become stable and secure? Why has it been so difficult for some modern states to impose security over their borders? Why borders continue to be a major source of conflict and what can be done to prevent this? Gavrilis' book tackles these important questions by focusing directly on a number of specific border areas. By drawing on case studies that span Greece and the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century and the post-Soviet Central Asian states in the twenty-first, Gavrilis finds that secure borders emerge only when various groups who live in these areas are enlisted in the policy of stabilizing the borders. Whether these groups are allowed to play such a role depends on the specific processes of state formation that unfolds on either side of the international boundary. This is an exceptionally rich study that is based on archival research in several languages, fieldwork in multiple sites, a thorough reading of secondary literature, and a firm grasp of theoretical issues. Garvilis' mastery of his subject matter is truly breathtaking. The Dynamics of Interstate Boundaries will be a required reading for anybody who is interested in how borders are formed, what makes them viable, and how to make them secure and less violent.' Resat Kasaba, University of Washington 'Gavrilis has written a masterful book on a central problem that all modern states face, and yet, about which there is scant research - the protection of shared boundaries. He traces the roots of this problem both geographically and historically, taking us from the disintegrated Ottoman Empire to emergent Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Along the way, he offers rare and valuable insight into why states often pursue solutions to this problem that undermine their own border security.' Pauline Jones Luong, Brown University