Why are the Melanesian states of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu experiencing considerable civil unrest and, in this respect, why are they so different from the other small island states of the Pacific region? It is argued that while, like the other Pacific island countries,...

The many small sovereign states and multiple shades of sovereignty that exist across the present-day Pacific Island region are largely the product of the region's colonial history. Yet, the story of regionalism among the Pacific Islands began in pre-colonial times. This history, in turn, has...