The Fight Over Freedom in 20th- and 21st-Century International Discourse

This book shows how international discourse citing self-determination over the last hundred years has functioned as a battleground between two ideas of freedom: a radical idea of freedom, and a liberal-conservative idea of freedom. The book examines each of the major moments in which self-determination has been a central part of the language of high-level international politics and law: the early 20th century discourse of V.I. Lenin and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, the aftermath of the First World War and the formulation of the UN Charter, the 1950-1960s UN debates on self-determination, and the 2008-2010 International Court of Justice case on Kosovos declaration of independence. At each of these moments in history, self-determination was at the top of the international agenda. And at each moment, a fight over the meaning of freedom played out in self-determination discourse. Besides providing insights into the historical times in which self-determination was prominently cited internationally, the book offers a recasting and renewal of international debates on freedom in international discourse.