Sovereignty, Rights and Justice: International Political Theory Today

Sovereignty, Rights and Justice surveys the relationship between international relations theory and political theory, showing the way in which these two discourses, once considered separate, are now intertwined. In the first part of the book an historical overview of the international political theory on the ‘Westphalia System' is presented, with brief accounts of the law of nations, and the notion of an ‘international society' as well as an examination of the international thought of the Enlightenment and of nineteenth- century industrial society.

International theory in the twentieth century is then examined, leading into a consideration of some of the key issues of late-twentieth-century international relations, including the rights of political communities; the ethics of force in international relations; human rights; humanitarian intervention; global social justice and the moral relevance of borders; cultural diversity and the ‘Asian values' debate. In the final chapters, the impact of globalization on all these issues is examined.

This is an accessible introduction to one of the most important areas of contemporary political theory, and one based firmly on the analysis of real-world problems.