The Principle of State Sovereignty and Its Limitations under Contemporary International Law: Implications for Indonesia's Foreign Policy and Regional Cooperation
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study aims to analyze the principle of state sovereignty and its limitations in the context of international law, along with its implications for Indonesian foreign policy. This study will be conducted using a qualitative research approach, relying on normative legal research methods and utilizing secondary data from various international legal instruments, academic literature, and relevant policy documents. The study's findings highlight the importance of the principle of sovereignty in international relations, yet its implementation is often subject to various constraints within the context of international law, including international commitments in the areas of human rights, environmental protection, global security, and international cooperation. For Indonesia, the evolving interpretation of sovereignty requires a strategic balance between maintaining national autonomy and fulfilling international responsibilities. Indonesia's active engagement in regional frameworks, particularly within ASEAN, reflects an adaptive foreign policy approach that seeks to uphold sovereignty while promoting regional stability and cooperation.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
Alter, K. J., & Raustiala, K. (2018). The rise of international regime complexity. Annual Review of Law and Social Science, 14(1), 329–349. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-lawsocsci-101317-030830
Bettati, M. (1996). The international community and limitations of sovereignty. Diogenes, 44(176), 91–109. https://doi.org/10.1177/03921921960441761
Dunoff, J. L., & Pollack, M. A. (2017). The judicial trilemma. American Journal of International Law, 111(2), 225–276. https://doi.org/10.1017/ajil.2017.23
Gaeta, P. (2010). Symposium: the human dimension of international law: introduction. European Journal of International Law, 21(1), 7–9.
Garner, J. W. (1925). Limitations on National Sovereignty in International Relations1. American Political Science Review, 19(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.2307/2938889
Gioia, F. (2006). State Sovereignty, Jurisdiction, and ‘Modern’International Law: The Principle of Complementarity in the International Criminal Court. Leiden Journal of International Law, 19(4), 1095–1123. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0922156506003761
Hathaway, O. A. (2008). International delegation and state sovereignty. Law & Contemp. Probs., 71, 115.
Head, J. W. (2018). Addressing Global Challenges through Pluralistic Sovereignty: A critique of state sovereignty as a centerpiece of international law. U. Kan. L. Rev., 67, 727.
Helfer, L. R. (2019). Treaty Exit and Intrabranch Conflict at the Interface of International and Domestic Law.
Jackson, J. H. (2003). Sovereignty-modern: a new approach to an outdated concept. American Journal of International Law, 97(4), 782–802. https://doi.org/10.2307/3133680
James, A. (1999). The practice of sovereign statehood in contemporary international society. Political Studies, 47(3), 457–473. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9248.00212
Jetschke, A. (2016). Regionalisierung im politikwissenschaftlichen Vergleich. In Handbuch Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft (pp. 915–929). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-02338-6_67
Jetschke, A. (2017). What drives institutional reforms in regional organisations? Diffusion, contextual conditions, and the modular design of ASEAN. TRaNS: Trans-Regional and-National Studies of Southeast Asia, 5(1), 173–196. https://doi.org/10.1017/trn.2016.30
Kelsen, H. (1959). Sovereignty and international law. Geo. LJ, 48, 627.
Kousar, F., & Khokhar, A. S. (2025). The Influence of International Law on State Sovereignty and Human Rights. Journal of Religion and Society, 3(02), 1025–1036.
Maftei, J. (2015). Sovereignty in International Law. Acta Universitatis Danubius. Juridica, 11(1), 54–65.
Mbaku, J.M. (2018). International law and limits on the sovereignty of African states. Fla. J. Int’l L., 30, 43.
Nollkaemper, A. (2023). International law and the agony of animals in industrial meat production. European Journal of International Law, 34(4), 939–972.
Nollkaemper, A. (2025). Avoid, Align or Contest? An Examination of National Courts’ Postures in International Climate Law Litigation. Transnational Environmental Law, 14(3), 469–499. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2047102525100058
Osgood, I. (2018). Globalizing the supply chain: Firm and industrial support for US trade agreements. International Organization, 72(2), 455–484. https://doi.org/10.1017/S002081831800005X
Petersen, N. (2017). The International Court of Justice and the judicial politics of identifying customary international law. European Journal of International Law, 28(2), 357–385.
Raz, J. (2017). The future of state sovereignty. King’s College London Law School Research Paper, 2017–42. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejil/chx024
Schreuer, C. (1993). The waning of the sovereign state: towards a new paradigm for international law? Eur. J. Int’l L., 4, 447.
Schulze, K. E., & Hwang, J. C. (2019). Militant Islam in Southeast Asia. Contemporary Southeast Asia, 41(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1355/cs41-1a