The Right to Self-Determination in International Law

Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-0-19-779807-2
Verlag: Oxford University Press

Buch, Englisch, 392 Seiten, Format (B × H): 140 mm x 22 mm, Gewicht: 534 g

Self-determination is a cornerstone of modern international law-an inalienable right that empowers peoples to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social, and cultural development. Enshrined in Article 1 of the United Nations Charter and Article 1 common to both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, self-determination stands internationally as a right to independence and domestically as a foundation for representative government.

This book offers a clear, objective, and comprehensive account of the right to self-determination in international law. Designed for both scholars and practitioners, it navigates the complex legal landscape with precision, drawing on treaties, state practice, UN resolutions, and landmark judgments of the International Court of Justice. It explores the historical roots, normative status, and dual dimensions-international and domestic-of the right, while also addressing the obligations of states and mechanisms for enforcement.

By illuminating the legal content, tensions, and practical applications of self-determination, this volume provides readers with the tools to understand and apply one of the most fundamental principles shaping our world today. It is as an essential resource for those engaged in international law, human rights, and global governance.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Weatherall, Thomas

Inhaltsverzeichnis

- Introduction

- PART I. SOURCES

- 1: Historical Antecedents

- 2: International Instruments

- 3: Resolutions and Declarations

- 4: International Court of Justice Judgments and Opinions

- 5: Normative Status of Self-Determination

- PART II. CONTENT

- 6: Peoples: Subjects and Beneficiaries of the Right to Self-Determination

- 7: The International Aspect of Self-Determination

- 8: The Domestic Aspect of Self-Determination

- 9: States: Subjects of Obligations under the Right to Self-Determination

- PART III. PRACTICE

- 10: The United Nations

- 11: International Dispute Settlement

- 12: Implementation and Enforcement

- Conclusion

- Appendix 1: Former Trust Territories and Non-Self-Governing Territories

- Appendix 2: Non-Self-Governing Territories

Über Autor(innen)

Thomas Weatherall is an Attorney-Adviser in the Office of the Legal Adviser for Diplomatic Law and Litigation of the U.S. Department of State. Prior to that assignment, he served in the Office of the Legal Adviser for Human Rights and Refugees, where he advised on the right to self-determination. He has also served as an Alternate Representative in the U.S. Mission to the Organization of American States, representing the United States before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in that capacity, and was an Adviser and Expert Negotiator in the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, where he represented the United States in delegations to the U.N. General Assembly Third Committee. Dr Weatherall holds a J.D. from Georgetown University, a Ph.D. in International Law from the University of Cambridge, an M.Sc. in Global Governance and Diplomacy from the University of Oxford, and a B.A. in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins University.