States,Borders and the Idea of the ‘Common State’: The Case of Moldova,1992–2002

Abstract

The post-Cold War period has seen a growing appreciation of the problems of the ‘failed state’ and the factors that contribute to them. The article argues that we need to find different ways of configuring such entities and posits the idea of the ‘Common State’ as one such reconfiguration. The case study is drawn from observations of the conflict in Moldova over the last 10 years or so. It also considers alternative ways of viewing a possible solution to the conflict in Moldova drawing on work done by other scholars in the area, as well as on some theorists of International Relations and conflict.