Towards a political approach to the island question

Abstract

I have chosen to concentrate on a basic question which, in spite of numerous efforts, has - in my opinion - not so far been satisfactorily answered, namely: how can we define and evaluate "insularity',? To do so, I will first of all give a brief, and necessarily superficial, account of how the matter of islands and insularity has been perceived by various sciences, and, in particular, by Geography. This will bring me to underline the limitations of these various approaches, and their practical consequences. Then, on the basis of the evidence gathered either through my research work, or through my experience as Secretary to the "Islands Commission" of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of the European Union (EU), I shall outline a different approach to the question. This approach, as you will see, will rely largely on the evidence not so much of Geography, but rather of History and, mostly, of Politics. I will end up by suggesting a definition of insularity, which - if it survives criticism - may foster new lines of reflection and research, and, I hope, lead to a better understanding of the matter.