Ryan D. Griffiths is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney. His research examines the dynamics of secession, patterns in sovereignty and international order, and he is a lead investigator on the International System(s) Dataset (ISD) Project. His work has been published in a number of journals including International Organization.

'Griffiths provides a simple but powerful explanation of why we live in an 'age of secession', characterized by a steep increase in the number of states since 1945, and why some secessions are peaceful while others are violent. Located at the intersection of international relations and comparative politics, the book is a finely-crafted analysis of the evolution of the modern international system.' Jason Sharman, Griffith University, Queensland

• 1. Introduction; 2. Theory of metropolitan response; 3. A quantitative analysis of secessionist outcomes; 4. The expansion and contraction of the British Empire; 5. The arc of Russian rule; 6. India and its many nations; 7. Conclusion.

Ryan D. Griffiths is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney. His research examines the dynamics of secession, patterns in sovereignty and international order, and he is a lead investigator on the International System(s) Dataset (ISD) Project. His work has been published in a number of journals including International Organization.

'Griffiths provides a simple but powerful explanation of why we live in an 'age of secession', characterized by a steep increase in the number of states since 1945, and why some secessions are peaceful while others are violent. Located at the intersection of international relations and comparative politics, the book is a finely-crafted analysis of the evolution of the modern international system.' Jason Sharman, Griffith University, Queensland

• 1. Introduction; 2. Theory of metropolitan response; 3. A quantitative analysis of secessionist outcomes; 4. The expansion and contraction of the British Empire; 5. The arc of Russian rule; 6. India and its many nations; 7. Conclusion.