The partition of the Indian subcontinent, the collapse of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, the reunification of Germany, the continuing feud between two Koreas, the Irish peace process, the case of Israel/Palestine and the lingering division of Cyprus, have together given rise to a huge body of literature. However, studies of partitions have usually focused on individual cases. This innovative volume uses comparative analysis to fill the gap in partition studies and examines cross-cutting issues such as:
* violence
* state formation
* union and regional unification
* geopolitics
* transition.

Stefano Bianchini is Director of the Institute for Eastern and Central Europe at the University of Bologna, Italy. Sanjay Chaturvedi is Reader in Political Science at the Punjab University, India. Rada Ivekovic is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Saint Etienne, France. Ranabir Samaddar is Director of the Peace Studies Programme at the South Asia Forum for Human Rights.

Introduction: The infamous event1. Partition as a Form of Transition 2. Partitions: Categories and destinies3. The Undefined Acts of Partition and Dialogue 4. The Excess of Geopolitics: Partition of "British India" Conclusion