our mission

The Institute provides an informed, independent interdisciplinary research platform for the small states community. It is the home for the analysis and debate about contemporary legal small states’ issues with an eye for practical solutions. The Institute is committed to facilitate law reform in and for small states and to assist with relevant training.

small states

Small states make up the majority of United Nations member states. They are incredibly diverse, with varying sizes, populations, economies, natural resources, and vulnerabilities. Within the Forum of Small States at the United Nations, the population of member states ranges from less than 10,000 to more than 10 million. The unofficial category of “small states” includes some of the most and least developed nations in the world, resource-rich and resource scarce countries, and both island and landlocked states. Given this, the priorities and perspectives can be as diverse as their characteristics. However, they are united in facing the same challenges due to their size in comparison to large states. They face, for example, special security challenges, such as being particular targets for transnational crime, via trafficking in drugs, arms and people and are at risk of political instability and conflict due to being cut off from global trade and economic opportunity.

Within the small states cluster the group of micro states, countries with a population below 1.5 million are characterised by a small populations, limited human capital, and a confined land area. They especially share challenges associated with the size of their economies, remoteness, isolation, and often vulnerability to climate change.

news

ISMS & BIICL Meet OECS DG on Silver Generation Priorities

On 15 July ISMS Deputy Director Dr Nicole Pierce, Director Professor Petra Butler, Professor Spyros Maniatis from BIICL met with the Director General of the OECS, Dr Didacus Jules, to discuss the impact of the silver generation on the OECS and the research and policy work needed to accommodate the aspirations and needs of that generation.