Understanding sovereignty in a globalised world

Abstract

This chapter reviews the International Relations literature on globalisation and sovereignty. Using a revised version of Held and McGrew’s framework for understanding the politics of globalisation, it identifies three approaches to understanding the ways in which globalisation has affected state sovereignty: (1) Hyperglobalists, who primarily regard globalisation as a distinct ‘new’ phenomenon, which is having considerable effect, particularly on state sovereignty, with a significantly increased role for international organisations and transnational actors in key policy arenas. (2) Sceptics, who regard globalisation as not ‘new’, arguing that the state and state sovereignty remain central despite globalising forces. (3) Transformationalists, who take a middle view arguing that there are varying effects of globalisation on states exercising policy sovereignty.