Introducing: Shatter Zones

Synopsis: Shatter zones are the borderlands of countries, often beyond the direct control of the state where the most destructive aspects of state-making and modern governance take place. While often ignored or relegated to the folds of maps, shatter zones are where state interaction can have the most dramatic effects. Through reporting and analysis, The Gate’s “Shatter Zones” will help its readers navigate these ungoverned territories and disputed borders, placing the news in a historical context. Whenever possible, it will give readers a view of the often contentious ways in which borders are drawn and control delimited.

Jake Howry is a fourth year undergraduate at the University of Chicago, focusing on intrastate conflict. He has worked previously with the State Department, providing border and sovereignty analysis for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research's Geographic Information Unit.