Contested states and their everyday quest for recognition

Abstract

This chapter reviews most recent practices of transnational recognition and examines the everyday diplomatic practice of contested states. The chapter proposes the concept of transnational recognition to better explain the contemporary nature of state recognition by showing the hybridisation of domestic and international politics, as well as the role of state and non-state actors, and official and unofficial diplomacies that underpin the agency and practices of contested states for surviving in international system. The chapter explores the empirical potential of these concepts through two case studies, examining the diplomatic practices carried out by the representatives of Palestine and Western Sahara in Brussels.