The Foreign Policy of State Recognition: Kosovo’s Diplomatic Strategy to Join International Society: Table 1

Abstract

This article explores the policies and activities undertaken by Kosovo as it seeks diplomatic recognition under conditions of contested statehood and transitional international order. Existing debates about diplomatic recognition—in particular, how independent sovereign statehood is achieved—generally rest upon systemic factors, normative institutions, and the preferences of great powers. In contrast, we argue that the expe- rience of Kosovo presents a more complex and less predetermined pro- cess of international recognition, in which the agency of fledgling states, diplomatic skill, timing, and even chance may play a far more important role in mobilizing international support for recognition than is generally acknowledged. In building this argument, we explore Kosovo’s path to contested independence and examine the complex process of diplo- matic recognition, as well as highlight the hybrid justifications for recog- nizing Kosovo’s statehood and independence. Without downplaying the importance of systemic factors, this article contributes to a critical re- thinking of norms and processes related to state recognition in interna- tional affairs, which has implications for a broad range of cases.