Secession is the creation of a new independent state out of an existing state. Examined through political, social and legal processes, the first part of the volume deals with the practice of secessions. Following an analysis of secessionist movements and their role in attempts at secession, eight case studies are explored to illustrate peaceful, violent, sequential and recursive secessions. Part two deals with the theoretical approaches and starts with a discussion of theories that attempt to explain why and how secessions take place and the economic causes. This book systematizes our present knowledge of secessions in an accessible way to readers not familiar with the phenomenon and its consequences.