The Diffusion of International Border Agreements

Bibliographic Data

ID6385178
AuthorsK Chad Clay (0000-0001-8276-6998), Andrew P Owsiak (0000-0001-7938-9810)
Year2016
Volume78
Issue2
Pages427-442
Publication date2016-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3816 • E-ISSN: 1468-2508
PublisherUniversity of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1086/683987
OpenAlexW2309541833
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited53

Can actors’ interactions affect similar, future interactions between those initial actors and others? We investigate this broad question through the lens of international border agreements. In particular, we propose that border agreements can emerge through a previously overlooked mechanism: diffusion. Because border territory is salient, leaders are expected to misrepresent their positions and therefore have difficulty credibly conveying information to their counterpart. To overcome this problem, actors require a costly signal, and we argue that border agreements can serve this purpose. When a state signs a border agreement with a neighboring state, it signals to its other neighbors about both the existence of a bargaining range and the potentially acceptable provisions, thereby helping these other neighbors successfully conclude border agreements with the original signatory states. An analysis of all contiguous dyads during the period 1816–2001 uncovers substantial support for our argument

Argument (complex analysis · Border effect · Economics · International trade · Law and economics · Political science · Salient · State (computer science · Computer Science · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Law · Local Government Finance and Decentralization · Policy Transfer and Learning

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