ABSTRACT
In the contemporary world, national self-determination is an assault on state sovereignty. Nations, however, claim self-determination to escape injustice. Injustice will also be judged in terms of the liberal canon, although this is complicated by the fact that whilst nations suffer rights abuse, they also suffer other injustices. But rights abuse is a plausible reason for claiming self-determination. As more states become late-modern and habituated to the scrutiny and interference of others, rights observance may become the paramount virtue in international relations. Sovereignty may lose its relevance. Nations claim self-determination when they fear for their culture and their place in the landscape. Sustained through myth and history, victimization becomes a central feature of national identity, which forestalls reflection and the need to take responsibility for the future. The difficulty here is that rights themselves may be incomprehensible, especially for nations claiming self-determination as a remedy to persecution.
