Humanitarian intervention and the state: Toward a posthegemonic order

This dissertation examines how military interventions of the Cold War and Post-Cold War eras reflect the dominant economic and power configurations in the international arena. Through using the Gramscian concept of hegemony, this dissertation argues that present-day humanitarian intervention demonstrates the growing subordination of sovereignty to human rights considerations. This subordination is the result of economic globalization that requires the smooth functioning of the global economy. Creating stability for economic pursuits also requires values that can justify military interventions aimed at bringing an end to destabilizing wars and that can be accepted by a large number of nation-states. With the growing use of humanitarian justifications for military interventions in a globalized world, this study argues that the nation-state may in the future lose its preeminent role as the sole legitimate and accountable institution in providing human rights. Without the nation-state, a question that needs further investigation is: which institution can provide accountable and legitimate governance?...