ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that it is necessary to recognize groups as a distinct subject of international law, rather than as an extension of an individual's status as a subject of international law. Ethnic groups have become recognized independent actors in international politics, yet their legal status in international law is dubious. The chapter argues that legal recognition of ethnic groups allows for disputes to be settled in an orderly and civilized fashion. It describes the notable exception of the Genocide Convention, ethnic group protection was not an issue after 1945 other than as an extension of individual rights. The chapter demonstrates that mass abuses violate the moral standards of global society and must lead with some certainty to sanctions that are proportional to the crime. International involvement in past conflicts typically meant unilateral meddling in the affairs of a sovereign state.
