Sovereignty and International Relations: an Introduction

Sovereignty and International Relations

Abstract

The post-Cold War era began with the quest for sovereignty in the Soviet Union, eastern Europe and elsewhere. The concept of sovereignty is still the last resort for those people who are oppressed, unrepresented, or discriminated againts. On the other hand, the society of sovereign states has long shown its inability to cope with various transnational phenomena such as economic interdependence and environmental pollution. The concept of sovereignty is under attack as the major cause of failure in enhancing international cooperation and supra-national institutionalization.
International relations concerning sovereignty deserve special academic attention. The perspective of the post-Cold War may not be long and wide enough; that of post-World War II seems to be more appropriate. The issue is not simply related to self-determination but is also closely associated with deepening interdependence between peoples. Some peoples call for independence, but independent nations face interdependence. Restructuring of nation-states takes place in two directions: separation and integration. One cannot assume, however, that restructuring will eventually lead to a harmonious world. International society will continue to be too dynamic to reach any stable stationery divisions of the Globe.
Sovereignty must be examined from theoretical perspectives. It constitutes the basis of the major school of international relations theory. It is also closely related to political theory not to mention international law.
Changing international relations posed questions concerning sovereignty, and hence the questions concerning relevancy of various intellectual frameworks. “Sovereignty and international relations” calls for insight to imagine a global society beyond the nation-state system.