The (International) Building of Sovereignty

Abstract

This chapter examines the under-theorised link between recognition of a right to statehood and international state-building, focusing on post-1999 Kosovo. Kosovo presents a scenario quite unlike cases like Timor-Leste, Eritrea, and Palestine, where exclusive collective recognition accompanied state-building. Here, international organisations, such as the UN and the EU, supported state-building while offering only optional recognition of a right to statehood, treating independence as one of several outcomes of self-determination. The chapter explores how these organisations contributed to Kosovo’s state-building despite this limited endorsement of independence, offering insights into the complexities of recognition and state creation. A key finding is the active agency of Kosovo Albanians in navigating recognition processes, challenging the idea of statehood claimants as passive recipients of recognition.