Sovereigns

Abstract

This chapter explores how unrecognised or partially recognised statehood claimants engage with seemingly top-down collective recognition processes. It does so by examining three examples: Timor-Leste’s pursuit of independence prior to 2002 in the context of its right to self-determination and statehood; Kosovo’s UNESCO application as a strategy to leverage international state-building for recognition; and Turkish Cypriot efforts to mitigate isolation through engagement without recognition. The chapter provides a missing overview of how statehood claimants navigate and instrumentalise processes of collective state recognition. By doing so, it highlights their agency and contributes to discussions on sovereignty-related actors and processes in international relations.