Patterns of Border Disputes Amongst OSCE Countries

Despite the general decline in territorial conquest and disputes over traditional land borders, 150 disputes world-wide continue to contribute to security instability. Given the scope and reach of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as a security organization, this study aims to examine whether the patterns of border disputes in the OSCE region are significantly different from those in other regions and in what ways the OSCE patterns follow those in the rest of the world. With the help of the Borders in Globalization Dyads Database (BiG Dyads Database), the study shows that, while patterns of border disputes in the OSCE region follow those in the rest of the world, there is also regional specificity as most dyads are very young and many dyads still remain contested, which raises significant questions regarding the overall stability and governance in the OSCE region and the effectiveness and limitations of regional international organizations such as the OSCE.