Self-Determination of Peoples and Plural-ethnic States in Contemporary International Law

Self-Determination of Peoples and Plural-ethnic States in Contemporary International Law PDF

Author: Edward McWhinney

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2007-09-30

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 904742347X

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In analysing the contemporary International Law principles as to Self-determination of Peoples, Dr. Edward McWhinney gives a special attention to the crisis today of multinational states put together, usually hurriedly and without proper regard for foreseeable later problems in establishing a plural-constitutional order system, by the military victors in World War I in the imposed Peace treaties of 1919. The key to successful exercise of a claimed right to self-determination is Recognition by other, existing states in the World Community and today also admission to the United Nations. In examining the classical rules on Recognition of States and the recent developed practice as to U.N. Membership, the author signals the continuing antinomy of Law and Power and how high political concerns for their own conceived national interests influence or control decisions on application of the legal ground rules in concrete cases by heads of government and their foreign ministries. The author notes at the same time the attempt to consolidate and codify existing rules on a political "regional" basis, most evident perhaps with the European Union today. In addressing the claimed new legal category of "failed state" with the concomitant asserted legal right of other states to intervene, if necessary unilaterally or outside the United Nations, to impose their own "corrective" measures, he suggests that the postulated "failure" in such cases may frequently stem less from problems inherent in the state concerned than from past hegemonial actions by outside states in pursuit of their own geopolitical interests in the region. A special concluding chapter draws on the empirical record of the historical, often trial-and-error experience of the Succession states to the Versailles treaties settlements and to the assorted acts of Decolonisation of the former European Imperial, Colonial powers.

Self-Determination and Secession in International Law

Self-Determination and Secession in International Law PDF

Author: Christian Walter

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2014-06-05

Total Pages: 340

ISBN-13: 0191006912

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Peoples and minorities in many parts of the world assert a right to self-determination, autonomy, and even secession from a state, which naturally conflicts with that state's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The right of a people to self-determination and secession has existed as a concept within international law since the American Declaration of Independence in 1776, but the exact definition of these concepts, and the conditions required for their application, remain unclear. The Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice concerning the Declaration of Independency of Kosovo (2010), which held that the Kosovo declaration of independence was not in violation of international law, has only led to further questions. This book takes four conflicts in the post-Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as a starting point for examining the current state of the law of self-determination and secession. Four entities, Transnistria (Moldova), South Ossetia, Abkhazia (both Georgia), and Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan), claim to be entitled not only to self-determination but also to secession from their mother state. For this entitlement they rely on historic affiliations, and on charges of discrimination and massive human rights violations committed by their mother state. This book sets out its analysis of these critical issue in three parts, providing a detailed understanding of the principles of international law on which they rely: The first part sets out the contours and meaning of self-determination and secession, including an overall assessment of secession within the Commonwealth of Independent States. The second section provides case studies investigating the events in Transnistria, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and Nagorno-Karabach in greater detail. The third and final section extends the scope of the examination, providing a comparative analysis of similar conflicts involving questions of self-determination and secession in Kosovo, Western Sahara, and Eritrea.

Peoples and International Law

Peoples and International Law PDF

Author: James Summers

Publisher: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers

Published: 2007-08-13

Total Pages: 513

ISBN-13: 9004154914

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Peoples and International Law is the most comprehensive current account of the right of self-determination in international law. The book examines the law of self-determination as the product of the interaction between nationalism and international law. This broad and interdisciplinary work charts this interaction through different aspects of the legal process – in international instruments, judicial decisions, legal obligations and historical context – critically and in extensive detail. The book is essential reading for those with an interest both in peoples’ rights in international law and the study of nationalism.

Minorities' Claims: From Autonomy to Secession

Minorities' Claims: From Autonomy to Secession PDF

Author: Gnanapala Welhengama

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-11-30

Total Pages: 341

ISBN-13: 1351728334

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This title was first published in 2000: An investigation of how the claims of minority groups for greater political power through 'autonomy' and 'secession' clash with the concerns of the nation-State, and how States’ refusals to respond positively to such claims contribute to the escalation of ethnic conflicts in contemporary multi-ethnic polities. In addition, this book examines the extent to which the international community is prepared to accommodate the concerns of minority groups beyond traditionally identified 'minority rights'. The validity of claims for autonomy with shared-sovereignty, autonomy as an inherent part of self-determination, autonomy as a solution to current ethnic conflicts, secessionist and irredentist movements and their impact on peace and security are analyzed in detail. Most importantly, whether minorities as such can secede from the State in which they live by virtue of self-determination is critically analyzed. The discussion of 'peoples' in the context of self-determination is the first detailed research on this subject to appear in international and human rights literature.

The Self-determination of Peoples

The Self-determination of Peoples PDF

Author: Wolfgang F. Danspeckgruber

Publisher: Lynne Rienner Publishers

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 490

ISBN-13: 9781555877934

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Focusing especially on the era since the Cold War, political scientists, other scholars, and government officials examine both empirically and conceptually the causes and impacts of people striving for self-determination and autonomy. They consider the legal, political-administrative, ethnic-cultural, economic, and strategic dimensions; and try to consider examples from all major regions. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Peoples and Minorities in International Law

Peoples and Minorities in International Law PDF

Author: Catherine Brölmann

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2023-12-11

Total Pages: 378

ISBN-13: 9004641998

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The revival of group consciousness in Eastern European countries in the wake of the Cold War has put the protection of subnational groups high on the political agenda. The present book bears witness to the renewed interest in the legal position of subnational groups in international law. This book and the Conference, at which provisional versions of most of the contributions were presented, originate in perceived deficiencies of contemporary international law to protect subnational groups within a legal framework of which the principal subjects are states. Divided into three parts, the book commences with an analysis of the antagonistic relation between the right of peoples to self-determination and the right of states to territorial integrity, and the need to redefine these concepts in the post-Cold War era. The book continues with the highly controversial issue of the attribution of rights to subnational groups and the identification of subnational groups which would be entitled to such rights. The second part deals with the identification and protection of peoples and minorities at different levels of organization, viz. subnational, national and supranational. This part is followed by an analysis of the modes and means by which international obligations vis-à-vis subnational groups can be enforced. Not only the judicial means are considered, but also the justifiability of recourse to military means to the cause of subnational groups. This book not only provides an in-depth analysis of contemporary international law with respect to the protection of peoples and minorities, but also of the law as it is developing in the post-Cold War era.

Self-Determination of Peoples and Plural-ethnic States in Contemporary International Law

Self-Determination of Peoples and Plural-ethnic States in Contemporary International Law PDF

Author: Edward McWhinney

Publisher: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 149

ISBN-13: 9004158359

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In analysing the contemporary International Law principles as to Self-determination of Peoples, Dr. Edward McWhinney gives a special attention to the crisis of multinational states. A special concluding chapter draws on the empirical record of the historical, often trial-and-error experience of the Succession states to the Versailles treaties settlements and to the assorted acts of Decolonisation of the former European Imperial, Colonial powers.

Statehood and the Law of Self-Determination

Statehood and the Law of Self-Determination PDF

Author: David Raic

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2002-09-01

Total Pages: 515

ISBN-13: 904740338X

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Although most international lawyers assumed that the distribution of the land surface of the earth between States was more or less final after the end of decolonization, recent practice has disproved this assumption. Eritrea separated from Ethiopia and new States were created out of the former Soviet Union, the former Yugoslavia and the former Czechoslovakia. There is no reason to believe that these events form the end of the creation of new States. Numerous communities within existing States claim a right to full separate statehood on the basis of their entitlement to an alleged right to self-determination. However, in most cases, the international community rejected such claims to statehood, even if the territorial entity satisfied the traditional criteria for statehood. On the other hand, in other cases, including some of those mentioned above, the international community acknowledged the statehood of entities which clearly failed to meet these criteria. In the light of the above-mentioned developments, this book examines the modern law of statehood, and in particular the role of the law of self-determination in the process of the formation of States in international law. The study shows that the law of statehood has changed considerably since the establishment of the United Nations. It is argued that the law of self-determination is particularly relevant for explaining the international community's position regarding the general recognition, or the general denial, of statehood of different territorial entities under contemporary international law.

Self-determination in International Law

Self-determination in International Law PDF

Author: Robert McCorquodale

Publisher: Ashgate Publishing

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 664

ISBN-13:

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The right of self-determination affects many areas of international law, from sovereignty over territory and human rights to decisions on the recognition of new States and the succession of States to treaties. It also has an impact on many approaches to understanding the nature of international law and international society. This volume sets out some of the methods by which authors have dealt with the right of self-determination and provides illustrations of the applications of the right to a variety of situations.