Introduction

Abstract

This work presents a story of two informal states, two places which officially do not exist. The official names of these unofficial places are the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR). It thus presents a story of how territorial secessionists with their claims to statehood challenge not only the territorial integrity of sovereign states (Cyprus and Moldova, respectively) but also how they challenge geographical and ahistorical assumptions prevailing in the mainstream theories of international relations.