RE-APPRAISING THE SOVEREIGNTY OF STATES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION

Abstract

In the era of highly public conflicts, cyberwarfare, and more forceful humanitarian standards, sovereignty is being rethought. It contends that as international humanitarian law, global civil society, and multilateral organisations push for greater accountability when states fail to protect people within their borders, the traditional Westphalian script in which states have almost total control over internal affairs is eroding. By tracing shifts in practice from Responsibility to Protect debates to the expanding authority of humanitarian actors in conflict zones, the paper shows that sovereignty is no longer just about control but about responsibility, legitimacy, and compliance with evolving humanitarian standards. The analysis ultimately suggests that sovereignty is morphing into a performance: states retain their formal status, but the substance of their authority depends on how well they meet humanitarian expectations in real time. This re-appraisal opens space for new research on power, protection, and global governance.