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Definitions of Separatism in the Scientific Discourse

The separatist movements have significantly intensified in many European states, most notably in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Spain, which were empires before the collapse of colonialism in the 20th century and expanded their territories by conquering the neighboring countries. Today, within the majority of multiethnic states, there are historical and geographical regions where indigenous ethnic communities seek to secede and gain independence. The economic factors and identity based on common language, culture and history usually play a significant role in the development of separatist movements. It should be noted that the activities of the separatist movements threaten the sustainable development and functioning of the system of international relations. Since the international law does not specify which social groups can exercise their right to self-determination, the following dilemma often arises: should the principle of territorial integrity of states prevail over the right of the nation to self-determination, or vice versa? Nowadays, the problem of separatism has gone beyond the internal politics of the state and has gained the international importance. First of all, this is due to the fact that the third parties intervene in the conflicts in order to destabilize the situation in certain countries and to strengthen their influence in a particular region. Trying to avoid criminal responsibility and imposition of international sanctions, separatists do not resort to open armed attacks on neighboring countries, which is a clear act of aggression, and use hybrid warfare techniques instead. Taking into consideration the current Ukrainian statehood challenge and the real threat to our country’s territorial integrity, the study of separatism as an actual threat to national security is essential. Despite the large number of scientific works devoted to this phenomenon, it is necessary to continue the comprehensive research of separatism. That is why the scientific approaches to the definition of separatism are analyzed in this article, and its nature is investigated. Key words: separatism; separatist movement; secession; irredentism; nationalism; ethnopolitical conflict.