Secession and the Self-Determination of Peoples

Date: 22nd February 2012, 17:15

Location:0.22, 65-68 Park Place

Prof Michel Seymour (Université de Montréal)

In this lecture, Prof Seymour will defend a plural account of peoples: ethnic, cultural, sociopolitical, civic, multisocietal, diasporic and multiterritorial. He will also distinguish peoples from minority fragments of peoples, like immigrant communities, and then develop some of the theoretical implications of this approach. Among other things, he will show that, on the basis of a liberal political philosophy, we are able to derive the existence of a right to self-determination for all peoples. We must however allow for a flexible and diversified application of the principle of self-determination. Depending on the context, we can allow for political representation, self-government, special constitutional status or secession. Finally, he will argue against the idea that peoples have a right to own a sovereign state even if they do not have a just cause to support their claim. He formulates a ‘just cause’ theory that steers a course between traditional nationalism and the most popular versions of the just cause account of secession.

Organised by our Political Theory Research Unit

All Welcome to Attend