Border Disputes: A Global Encyclopedia. Edited by Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2015. 3 vols. Acid-free $294.00 (ISBN: 978-1-61069-023-2). E-book available (978-1-61069-024-9), call for pricing.

This is a three-volume work that tackles the job of giving clear, concise information on the issue of border disputes. The work is divided into three types of disputes: territorial, positional, and functional. It is edited by Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly, who studies public policy and border disputes at the University of Victoria, British Columbia and is the editor of the Journal of Borderlands Studies (Taylor and Francis/Routledge). Over fifty scholars from around the world contributed entries for this encyclopedia, which outlines the differentiation between geopolitical, legal, and cultural boundaries in its discussion. One of the first things the editor addresses is a recognition of the limitations of a reference work on ever-changing geopolitical turmoil; new states arise every year, so the work is described as being representational of the kinds of border disputes happening and is not in any way meant to be an exhaustive discussion of current affairs. It is also meant to discuss a very specific aspect of international affairs, and while it does address other complicated geopolitical themes at play, its main focus is clearly on that of borders. This is apparent in the entries on Israel-Jerusalem-Palestine, Israel-Lebanon, Israel-Syria, and similar. Some of the most complex political situations have the shortest entries, likely for several reasons; they are ongoing, some of the contestations fall outside the scope of border disputes, and it could probably be more thoroughly addressed in a more comprehensive work on the topic suggested in the further readings recommendations.

The editor suggests the audience for these volumes includes high school students and undergraduates. While the encyclopedia does not go into as much depth on complex foreign policy concepts as some others—for example, Border and Territorial Disputes, edited by Alan Day (Gale 1982), it does give a clear, concise history of the dispute at hand as well as its implications and the most recent status of the events. It also appears to be one of the most comprehensive and current attempts to represent as many relevant border disputes in one work, and is a very welcome update in the field of international relations. Suggestions for further reading are included at the end of every entry for those who wish to investigate further. The final volume includes a glossary and excerpts from selected primary documents. The organization of entries into three clear thematic volumes is a helpful effort to streamline incredibly complex geopolitical issues into researchable entry points for newer undergraduates who are just beginning to delve into research, as it makes it very easy to browse for topics based on region or type of dispute. The editor opens each volume with a brief discussion of why these disputes are categorized as they are, which gives additional context to the political issues being addressed.

There don’t seem to be many comparable reference works on this specific element of geopolitics. The aforementioned Border and Territorial Disputes edited by Alan Day covers this area, but over thirty years after its publication date it is missing many of the most important examples of border disputes. It is true that this information will become quickly outdated, but it provides a crucial first stepping stone in exploring territory and border issues within international relations. As there is no end in sight for the occurrence of these types of disputes in the world, Border Disputes: A Global Encyclopedia would be a valuable addition to an academic library.—Amanda Babirad, Research and Education Librarian, Sojourner Truth Library, SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz, New York