Theories of Living Sovereignty :

Sovereignty and Sociology: from State Theory to Theories of Empire

Imperial crisis is the analytical axis on which turn two national states of emergency: the Weimar Republic (1918!1933) and the United States on the so-called “Eve of Destruction” (1965!1975). But while Max Weber disagreed with Carl Schmitt with respect to the problem of sovereignty at the core of the German imperium, American sociologists ! even those inspired by Weber ! by and large did not re...

Beyond Epistemic Sovereignty

Seigniorage or Sovereignty?

In this chapter, I will explore two competing approaches to analysis of national currency emission. I will call one the seigniorage view, to be contrasted with what I will call the sovereignty view. Before proceeding, let me say that I am not interested in presenting either a historical analysis, nor will I pursue the etymology of these terms. I will first briefly define the terms as I will be ...

Sovereignty over Certain Frontier

The frontier between the two States in the area where the two plots in dispute are situated presents certain unusual features. Whilst the frontier in general is a linear one, in the area north of the Belgian town of Turnhout there are a number of enclaves formed by the Belgian commune of BaerleDuc and the Netherlands commune of Baarle-Nassau. The territory of the Belgian commune of Baerle-Duc i...

On the futures of sovereignty

The debate on the alleged end of sovereignty is reigning everywhere. The proponents of the end of sovereignty thesis argue that the sovereign state—the governments with an absolute right to control their own territory and independence of all other states in the international arena, that is to say having no superior authority internally and externally—is no more. Indeed, non-governmental organis...