Collective Intervention: an Analysis of the Political Issues Regarding Secession, Self-Determination, and Sovereignty in the Republic of Kosovo

In 2008, the Republic of Kosovo, after years of war and internal conflicts between the ethnic Albanians and Serbians who lived in the territory, finally received status as an independent state. The process was long and even after declaring independence the Republic still had to fight for such recognition. This thesis explores that process, starting with the years prior to the Yugoslav Wars, through the Republic of Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence and the subsequent International Court of Justice advisory opinion. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the concepts of self-determination and state sovereignty with regard to the actions taken by international organizations, NATO and the United Nations, while also determining the legitimacy of those actions when scrutinized under International law. The findings of this literature review lead to the conclusion that the intervention done by NATO and the United Nations, while hindering on Serbia’s sovereignty, stabilized the region and led to the end of massive human rights violations