Sovereignty in Theory and Practice

This Article deals with the theory and practice of sovereignty from the perspective of a trend in theoretical perspectives as well as the relevant trend in practice. The Article provides a survey of the leading thinkers’ and philosophers’ views on the nature and importance of sovereignty. The concept of sovereignty is exceedingly complex. Unpacking its meanings and uses over time is challenging.

An aspect of this challenge is that the discourse about sovereignty is vibrant among diverse policy, academic, and political constituencies. At times, its narratives are relatively discrete and at other times, the narratives overlap with the discourses from other professional orientations. In this Article, we seek to enhance clarification about the sovereignty discourses and narratives used in theory and practice. For example, the Article begins with the work of Bodin and Hobbes.