ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses a possible way of characterizing "shared sovereignty" in order to address some sovereignty conflicts. Many scholars in legal and political theory and international relations use the expression "shared sovereignty" and similar terminology to refer to various different realities. The chapter highlights the criteria that the conception of "shared sovereignty" should fulfill in order to provide a plausible solution to sovereignty conflicts. Some scholars maintain that human rights, in particular those concerned with minorities, affect the concept of sovereignty. From there, they try to apply the notion of shared sovereignty in order to secure the respect for an individual as a unique human being—and all that this implies. The shared sovereignty concept implies a form of shared responsibility between individuals, a state as a societal organization, and mankind as component of a global community, which requires everyone to respect and defend human rights.
