Small Island States or Territories

This chapter defines the unit of analysis of this research project, small island states or territories. Introducing the concept of islands as ecoterritories, small islands may be understood as unique geographic ecosystems with diverse political economies and sociocultural histories. The chapter offers an island typology, recognizing the diversity inherent in this comparative analysis, focusing in particular on topography, geomorphology, and colonial histories. These foundational analyses recognize these territories susceptibility to economic, environmental, and sociocultural vulnerabilities, such as climate change, sea level rise, as well as postcolonial pressures on mainland-island or core-periphery relations. This chapter offers a call to action and the possibilities of an optimistic path forward for these unique and diverse island territories.