The Geography of Ethnic Violence : Identity, Interests, and the Indivisibility of Territory

Rating:
Summary: interesting study, but not terribly well explained
Review: This book is useful, especially for its case studies of the conflicts in Abkazia and Ajaria (separatist regions in Georgia). The thesis, that geography--land itself--is central to ethnic conflict, seems fairly obvious when one is discussing state and national borders, but Toft strangely asserts that it is her original idea!

Overall, the book is useful to those interested in the particular case studies. Too jargony at times, the writing is occassionally repetitive. It is a thin book, and some additional case studies would have been welcome.

Overall, a flawed but still appreciable contribution to the literature on ethnic conflict and separatism.