Introduction

Abstract

In recent years, a debate has emerged, or at least the volume of the debate has increased, regarding the theory and practice of state sovereignty. Sovereignty, which encompasses elements of power and authority has, for at least the last few hundred years, been identified with the territorial state. Traditional views of sovereignty regard these territorial entities as more or less independent and holding the requisite power and authority to provide for the security of the territory and the people within the territory. Some of the outlines and boundaries of sovereignty have been debated, but mainstream international relations discourse has more or less identified state sovereignty as the key reality of international politics.