Russia And The Right To Self-determination In The Post-soviet Space by Johannes Socher, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters

The right to self-determination is renowned for its lack of clear interpretation. Broadly speaking, one can differentiate between a liberal and a nationalist tradition. In modern international law, the balance between these two opposing traditions is sought in an attempt to contain or'domesticate' the nationalist version by limiting it to 'abnormal' situations, such as colonialism in the sense of 'alien subjugation, domination and exploitation'.This book situates Russia's engagement with the right to self-determination in this debate. It shows that Russia has a distinct approach to self-determination that sets it apart both from Western States and from state practice during Soviet times. Against the background of the Soviet Union's role inthe evolution of the right to self-determination, the bulk of the study analyses Russia's relevant state practice in the post-Soviet space through the prisms of sovereignty, secession, and annexation. Drawing on analysis of seven secessionist conflicts and a detailed study of Russian sources andscholarship, it traces how Russian engagement with self-determination has changed over the past three decades. Ultimately, the book argues that Russia's approach to the right of peoples to self-determination may be best understood in terms of Russian power politics disguised as legal rhetoric, aswell as being evidence of a regional (re-)fragmentation of international law. | Russia And The Right To Self-determination In The Post-soviet Space by Johannes Socher, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters