title: The derecognition of states
abstract: This chapter examines the theory and practice of state derecognition in world politics. It offers a comprehensive assessment of legal, normative and political theories, and surveys practices of state derecognition. It first examines how the possibility of reversing the recognition of states is discussed in a wide range of disciplines, including international law, political theory and international relations. The chapter then looks at the process and micro-politics of derecognition, focusing on t