Self-determination is a democratic political process in which citizens of a country determine their preferred form of statehood and government for their nation. The right to self-determination is a legal and political right for all people. Self-determination became prominent internationally during and after the First World War. It was also at the Centre of the international political agenda during the decolonisation period. From 1945 onwards, self-determination became an international principle after several international conventions defined the term and its use as a legal justification for creating new states in territories previously under colonial rule. The definition and implementation transformed the concept into a universally-recognised practice. Territories under colonial rule used this concept to seek independence, which led to the creation of more than eighty new states. The struggle of South Sudan for self-determination has a history longer than any other struggle in Africa. The struggle has roots in Sudan's pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial political events. Despite these roots, South Sudan sought secession due to fear of Northern domination and internal colonisation in post-independence Sudan and exclusion of Southerners from crucial constitutional discussions on Sudan's future based on the argument that the southerners did not have organised political parties. In seeking peace, South Sudan voted in the 2011 referendum to support internal self-determination by seceding from Sudan. Internal self-determination makes peacebuilding initiatives legitimate and sustainable. However, South Sudan experienced incidences of conflict after seceding from the North. The proposed research aims to determine the role that self-determination plays in peacebuilding initiatives and poverty in South Sudan.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
2.1. Overview
2.2. The historical context of internal self-determination
2.3. The peace process in South Sudan
2.4. Applying internal self-determination to peacebuilding initiatives
2.5. Roles of the international community
2.6. Conclusion
3. Methodology
3.1. Research question
3.2. Type of data to use
3.3. Methods
3.4. How the data and methodology will address the research question
3.5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this research is to analyze the role that the concept of internal self-determination plays in the effectiveness and sustainability of peacebuilding initiatives and its impact on poverty alleviation within the context of South Sudan.
- Historical evolution of internal self-determination in the African context.
- The relationship between self-determination, peacebuilding efforts, and post-conflict socio-economic development.
- Analysis of the peace process in South Sudan, including the role of international mediators like IGAD.
- Methodological framework for qualitative research in conflict-affected regions.
Excerpt from the Book
The historical context of internal self-determination
From the 1970s, self-determination began to take shape in terms of historical myths, language, and unique culture of origin. This is what could be described as the right to internal self-determination, which is associated with the application and spirit of international human rights law on a continuous basis. This is different from the right to external self-determination, which relates to decolonisation. Demir (2017, p.22) describes internal self-determination as the first resort. According to the sovereignty and territorial integrity principles, the application of external self-determination is viewed as the last resort. This is the approach adopted by the UN (Ylonen, 2013). There are two aspects associated with internal self-determination, namely, economic and political. The political component of internal self-determination is anchored on the Friendly Relations Declaration (Laki, 1996). According to this declaration, states are viewed as governments that represent all people in the territory at stake. The right to internal self-determination mostly began shaping up after the decolonisation of the majority of African states. This could be described as the third phase of self-termination. It combined aspects of the first and second self-determination phases as it involved a group within a heterogeneous territory searching for self-rule (Olusola, 2013).
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: Presents the conceptual definition of self-determination and outlines the history of South Sudan’s struggle, leading to the research aim.
2. Literature Review: Examines theoretical foundations by discussing the historical context, the specific peace process in South Sudan, and the critical intersection of peacebuilding and self-determination.
3. Methodology: Details the qualitative research approach, the use of primary and secondary data sources, and the analytical framework for answering the central research question.
Keywords
South Sudan, internal self-determination, peacebuilding, poverty, conflict resolution, IGAD, referendum, secession, social rights, economic rights, qualitative research, decolonisation, international relations, political stability, conflict management
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the role of internal self-determination in shaping peacebuilding initiatives and addressing poverty in South Sudan, utilizing a qualitative research framework.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Central themes include the historical interpretation of self-determination, the peace process between North and South Sudan, the role of international mediators, and the post-conflict socio-economic recovery of the nation.
What is the central research question?
The study seeks to answer: "What is the role of internal Self-determination in peace Building and Poverty in South Sudan?"
Which research methodology is employed?
The author employs a qualitative methodology, utilizing both primary data (through interviews and historiography) and secondary data (from books, journals, and reports).
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The work covers the evolution of self-determination, the peace negotiations mediated by IGAD, the theoretical links between peacebuilding and self-determination, and the proposed procedures for data collection and thematic content analysis.
Which key terms characterize this study?
Important keywords include Internal self-determination, peacebuilding, South Sudan, conflict resolution, and qualitative content analysis.
What role did IGAD play in the peace process of South Sudan?
IGAD played a critical leadership role in mediating talks, brokering the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and launching the IGAD-Plus initiative to resolve the 2013 civil war.
How does internal self-determination differ from external self-determination in this study?
The study defines internal self-determination as an effort to ensure rights and political participation within a state, whereas external self-determination is described as the process of decolonization or secession, which is seen as a last resort.
- Citar trabajo
- Dr. John Chuol Muon (Ph.D.) (Autor), 2021, The role of internal self-determination in peace building and poverty in South Sudan, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1264825
