ABSTRACT
The field o f international riparian conflict studies is essentially Realist or Liberal but with different stances on whether water disputes cause conflict. Water disputes can occur between states that have friendly and generally non-conflictual relations such as the United States and Canada - two states with many water disputes but no serious conflict. Serious conflict is therefore not synonymous with disputes. Serious conflict is direct or indirect political and/or military confrontation. A water dispute, on the other hand, is a disagreement over the allocation of water resources in a basin. The primary question of this work is whether water disputes lead to conflict. Realism and Liberalism offer us many insights into the issue but Critical approaches are also useful when discussing the issues that surround and complicate water resource issues. Virtually all international riparian conflict analysts assign some importance to cultural conflict and historical problems, but set them aside citing decreased relevance in the face o f water shortages. The water supplies are said to be decreasing due to several factors. These factors include global climate change,1 population growth (reducing the amount available per capita), and damming and other water diversion programs. The stipulated causes of water shortages vary from author to author. Nevertheless, almost all analysts in this field would fit neatly within a Realist-Liberal continuum within International Relations.
