The Geostrategic Stakes of Self-Determination: A Comparative Study of Western Sahara and the Iraqi Kurdistan

Abstract

ABSRACT The issue of secessionism, as one constituent of the right to self-determination, is complex, and somehow paradoxical. On the one hand, it seems to pattern the process of decolonisation that happened in the 20th Century, while paradoxically emerging from it. On the other, separatist groups legitimate their battles on the ground of past sovereignty as understood in their own cultural reality. Yet, they do not seek a structural change of the current international legal frame, but rather, are fighting for recognition of their independence within that existing structure. Thus, the very Western-centred concept of territorial nation-state acts simultaneously as an obstacle to and a motive for secessionist claims. This triggers a sort of vicious cycle, where independence would be rarely granted, as it risks disturbing the international status quo, while the structure in which the status quo is built, highly inspires secessionist groups. Furthermore, the importance to maintain the status quo reveals the very strategic essence of secessionist claims, contributing to a fundamental lack of practical tools regarding the settlement of secessionist claims. These numerous paradoxes are illustrated in this dissertation with a comparative study between Western Sahara and the Iraqi Kurdistan: more than having a...