Recalibrating Sovereignty-Related Norms: Europe, Asia and Non-Traditional Security Challenges

This paper investigates how to address non-traditional security (NTS) challenges where the principal concern is to safeguard individuals. Since unilateral action cannot effectively deal with piracy, terrorism, cross-border conflicts, etc, there is a need for multilateral responses. Yet, time and again, the insistence on non-interference in the domestic affairs of countries has proven a major obstacle. European Union members, conceptualizing sovereignty in terms of ‘constitutional independence’, have made some progress addressing these challenges. Although, recently, some progress has also been made in Asia Pacific, there sovereignty often is still being used as a semantic weapon. Since states not only have rights but obligations, I argue, there is a need for a careful recalibration of sovereignty-related norms that stand in the way of improved human rights. Focusing on a specific issue area within NTS challenges, the Responsibility to Protect, I illustrate how a recalibration of sovereignty-related norms might take place.