ABSTRACT
Like Janus, the ancient Roman deity, sovereignty is two-faced: one face points to its past – as part of an existing order – and the other, never fully realized, looks forward to new beginnings and transitions. It is both resilient – what states make of it – and flexible, in that states cannot fix it as other actors aim to capture and reformulate it. Building on this central claim, this book seeks to substantiate the following question: Under what conditions can NSAs use the UN as an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) to contest state sovereignty? In search of answers, this chapter develops a theoretical framework (including key conceptualizations) introduced in two steps. It first conceptualizes state sovereignty as a “composite institution” consisting of three mutable, normative parts: self-determination, non-interference, and territoriality. The second section identifies three explanatory factors NSAs must find, secure, and expand to challenge and change these normative parts: the key dimensions of (a) NSA access and participation in an IGO, (b) the essential role of allies, and (c) the relevance of venues to the former. The chapter concludes by offering a dynamic theory statement concerning these explanatory factors.
