CPL Seminar: 'Sovereignty in Multi-national Democracies'

Speakers: Dr Pau Bossacoma Busquets, Reader at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, Open University of Catalonia

In this talk, we will examine classical and contemporary uses of sovereignty both as a political and legal notion. The traditionally unqualified attributes of sovereignty, perhaps overly inspired by theology, will be questioned in light of a practical, institutional approach that points towards a more relative and imperfect idea. In contrast to monistic sovereignty, broader and more pluralist understandings that allow sovereignty to be divided and shared among nations will be defended. As the sovereignty idea can be theoretically reshaped and take on different institutional forms, there is hope that sovereignty can be made compatible with multinational democracy. The constitutions and systems of governance of multinational societies often require a form of popular sovereignty consistent with democracy, understood as the government of, by and for the peoples. Sovereignty is inextricably linked to peace, self-determination, democracy, constitutionalism, and federalism, and we will discuss whether they can be brought into harmony.

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/322510909308793?p=TErVTsnbemwdK87J7U