The devolution of political being: From state sovereignty to individual rights

Abstract

State sovereignty is a construct that has predominated in the global arena for the past several centuries. As human rights have assumed greater salience in international organizations, conventions and intervention practices, state sovereignty is becoming less dominant in world affairs. Human rights are developing into the favored paradigm of political being, with new international regimes supportive of this construction usurping some of the power once defined by the boundaries of sovereignty.