Abstract

Sovereignty is once again at the forefront of international debate, especially thanks to the re-election of Donald Trump. However, as a concept it is badly understood and often invoked as an empty signifier. Traditional conceptions of sovereignty are both ahistorical and impractical. Starting with historical examples from around the globe, the talk proposes an approach to sovereignty which starts from these practical manifestations and incorporates change. It argues that such a historical understanding of sovereignty helps us to analyse the current moment.

Short Bio

Moritz Mihatsch is a global historian. He completed his Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) at the University of Oxford in 2014 and has studied and taught at universities in ten countries on three continents. He has published on history in a variety of places including Sudan, Liberia, the Emirates, Palestine, and Kurdistan and his work focuses thematically on issues including decolonisation, sovereignty, and the history and politics of knowledge production within UNESCO.

Registration

The talk is open to everyone. No registration is needed.

Contact

Casper Andersen, Science-Diplomacy Fellow at AIAS
Email: ideca@cas.au.dk

Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, AIAS
Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 6B
DK-8000 Aarhus C
Danmark