In the field of political science, the boundary problem is the problem of determining the legitimate boundaries of polities or self-governing communities. Boundaries are here understood not only in the geographical sense but also in the social sense of distinguishing members of the community from non-members. Alternatively, it can be considered as the problem of reconciling the democratic rights of individuals with the collective right of self-determination – the problem of balancing an individual's right to democratic inclusion with a community's right to exclude individuals in determining its own constitution.