Trends of (Post)colonial Self-determination in a Context of Democratic Backsliding

This article explores the evolving dynamics of self-determination in the context of a waning Liberal International Order (LIO). Historically embedded in decolonization and state dissolution processes, the principle of self-determination is increasingly challenged by broader global transformation wherein state creation is no longer underpinned by the aspirations of legal consensus or moral legitimacy but by power politics and strategic interests. Through a comparative analysis of postcolonial conflicts the article identifies two major consequences of the change in the international order on postcolonial self-determination dynamics: shifting recognition patterns, and erosion of internal and external self-determination. It shows that formal recognition of aspiring new states is granted, withheld, or withdrawn not on the basis of stable legal or moral criteria but according to secessionist effectiveness on the ground, and great‑power interests. Moreover, in contexts of democratic backsliding—where sub-state self-rule is systematically undermined—political actors find their avenues for internal self‑determination closing off. In this context, these actors internationalize their claims, which deepens internal conflict, attracts external patrons and geostrategic competition, and perpetuates cycles of contested sovereignty.