There are numerous regions where movements for sovereignty or independence are seen as serious alternatives to the status quo. Quebec, Scotland, Catalonia, and Flanders have followed a generally non-violent, political process, while movements in Kashmir, the Basque Country, Chechnya, and Kurdistan have led to militancy or civil war. Secessionism is the first work to examine why secessionist struggles occur and why some of them become violent, while offering constructive suggestions for keeping the peace in contested regions.