Why can ethnic groups near a border be more likely to organize for political struggle?

Ethnic groups located near international borders are often more likely to organize for political struggle due to specific geographic and transnational advantages. When ethnic groups are territorially concentrated near a border, they can utilize their shared homelands as a secure territorial base for their political and military operations.1

This proximity to a border provides significant strategic benefits:

• Transnational Support: Ethnic groups often span international boundaries, allowing them to receive financial, military, and moral support from transnational kin in adjacent states.23
• Operational Constraints on Governments: Because borders delineate state sovereignty, it is often more difficult for a government to combat insurgents who can retreat across the border into a neighboring state.2
• Group Cohesion: The presence of ethnic kin across the border enhances group cohesion and organization, which are critical factors in the ability of a group to mobilize for political action.31

Ultimately, these factors allow border-adjacent groups to leverage their geography to sustain a struggle, often complicating the ability of the state to maintain control or suppress the movement.21