Chapter 2 (73-100)Reading Contested Territory with a Geopolitical Conceptual Framework DrHDR Christiane RAFIDINARIVOChristiane RAFIDINARIVO is Doctor Habilitated to Direct Researches in Political Science. This research was carried out at the CEVIPOF Sciences Po, France, 2015-2020.Maps were realized with IDTGCE Thierry Sabathier.The aim of the research is to analyze the process of international territorial contestation following the « principle of territoriality » which is considered the foundation of modern international relations. This proposed principle is a « location theory » as a political science concept that binds intangible frontiers and sovereignty. In the context of international and transnational relations in globalization, the debate is lively between « the end of territories » and « praise of borders ». The focus is on why and how people do not benefit from contested territories and their ressources. The empirical observation is based upon context and actor’s practices regarding contested territories in terms of conflictuality and cooperation as well as institutionalization or not of the international contestation process. The initial research field was the Indian Ocean area. Quantitative and qualitative data collected are organized with a systemic cartology methodology that develops conceptual and perceptive mental maps. Thus, this research on reading contested territory proposes the concept of drawing a new general conceptual framework based on conflictuality and cooperation on the one hand and specific geopolitical conceptual framework on the other. This could be a new theoretical comparative political analysis of the multiple stakes of international territorial contestation and the multi-level strategic games of the actors. Key words: Conceptual Framework; Contested Territory; Geopolitics, Institutionalization; International Territorial Contestation, Overseas, TerritorializationIn Francis ONDITI and Douglas YATES (eds.), Illusion on Locality Theory. Consequences on Blue Economy in Africa, Vernon Press, Serie PoliticsVernon Press is included on the Nordic List (Norwegian Register for Scientific Publishers) as a Level 1 scientific book publisher as determined by the Norwegian Centre for Research Data (NSD). Sweden and many countries use Nordic List. https://vernonpress.com/book/1084 christiane.rafidinarivo@sciencespo.fr