Politics Without Sovereignty : A Critique of Contemporary International Relations

Written by leading scholars, this volume challenges the recent trend in international relations scholarship – the common antipathy to sovereignty. The classical doctrine of sovereignty is widely seen as totalitarian, producing external aggression and internal repression. Political leaders and opinion-makers throughout the world claim that the sovereign state is a barrier to efficient global governance and the protection of human rights. Two central claims are advanced in this book. First, that the sovereign state is being undermined not by the pressures of globalization but by a diminished sense of political possibility. Second, it demonstrates that those who deny the relevance of sovereignty have failed to offer superior alternatives to the sovereign state. Sovereignty remains the best institution to establish clear lines of political authority and accountability, preserving the idea that people shape collectively their own destiny. The authors claim that this positive idea of sovereignty as self-determination remains integral to politics both at the domestic and international levels. Politics Without Sovereignty will be of great interest to students and scholars of political science, international relations, security studies, international law, development and European studies.

Written by leading scholars, this volume challenges the recent trend in international relations scholarship — the common antipathy to sovereignty.

The classical doctrine of sovereignty is widely seen as totalitarian, producing external aggression and internal repression. Political leaders and opinion-makers throughout the world claim that the sovereign state is a barrier to efficient global governance and the protection of human rights.

Two central claims are advanced in this book. First, that the sovereign state is being undermined not by the pressures of globalization but by a diminished sense of political possibility. Second, it demonstrates that those who deny the relevance of sovereignty have failed to offer superior alternatives to the sovereign state. Sovereignty remains the best institution to establish clear lines of political authority and accountability, preserving the idea that people shape collectively their own destiny. The authors claim that this positive idea of sovereignty as self-determination remains integral to politics both at the domestic and international levels.

Politics Without Sovereignty will be of great interest to students and scholars of political science, international relations, security studies, international law, development and European studies.

State sovereignty is under siege. The classical doctrine of sovereignty is widely seen as totalitarian, producing external aggression and internal repression. Political leaders and opinion-makers throughout the world claim that the sovereign state is a barrier to efficient global governance and the protection of human rights. Scholars from a variety of different approaches - realist, liberal, constructivist and post-structuralist - dispute the idea of a final authority in politics. Politics without Sovereignty challenges. State sovereignty is under siege. The classical doctrine of sovereignty is widely seen as totalitarian, producing external aggression and internal repression. Political leaders and opinion-makers throughout the world claim that the sovereign state is a barrier to efficient global governance and the protection of human rights. Scholars from a variety of different approaches - realist, liberal, constructivist and post-structuralist - dispute the idea of a final authority in politics. Politics without Sovereignty challenges this 'unholy alliance' against sovereignty Introduction: The unholy alliance against sovereignty / Christopher J. Bickerton, Philip Cunliffe and Alexander Gourevitch Politics without sovereignty? / Christopher J. Bickerton, Philip Cunliffe and Alexander Gourevitch Sovereignty and the politics of responsibility / Philip Cunliffe National insecurities : the new politics of the American national interest / Alexander Gourevitch From state of war to state of nature : human security and sovereignty / Tara McCormack State-building : exporting state failure / Christopher J. Bickerton Country ownership : the evasion of donor accountability / John Pender European Union : a process without a subject / James Heartfield Deconstructing sovereignty : constructing global civil society / David Chandler Legalizing politics and politicizing law : the changing relationship between sovereignty and international law / Michael Savage How should sovereignty be defended? / James Der Derian ... [et al.] Half Title: Politics without Sovereignty......Page 2 Title Page......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 8 Contributors......Page 10 Foreword......Page 12 Acknowledgements......Page 15 Introduction......Page 16 1 Politics without sovereignty?......Page 35 2 Sovereignty and the politics of responsibility......Page 54 3 National insecurities......Page 73 4 From state of war to state of nature......Page 92 5 State-building......Page 108 6 Country ownership......Page 127 7 European Union......Page 146 8 Deconstructing sovereignty......Page 165 9 Legalizing politics and politicizing law......Page 183 10 How should sovereignty be defended?......Page 202 Index......Page 220 "The classical doctrine of sovereignty is widely seen as totalitarian, producing external aggression and internal repression. This book attempts to challenge the trend in international relations scholarship - the common antipathy to sovereignty. It is suitable for scholars of political science, international relations, security studies, and others." -- WorldCat Written by leading scholars, this book challenges the recent trend in international relations scholarship - the common antipathy to sovereignty