Souvera¨nita¨t im Wandel : zur Aktualita¨t eines normativen Begriffs

The concept of sovereignty unites two basic questions of the political: where is ‘ultimate authority’ located, and how can this locus be justified? Since its creation, the term offered political solutions for conflicts around authorisation and the dispersion of political rights and modes of participation. These issues are currently particularly contentiously discussed in international relations and in the context of attempts to constitutionalise the European Union. Is state sovereignty receding? How relevant are conceptions of popular sovereignty in transnational democracy? Lewicki elaborates on how transformation of the concept of sovereignty can be linked to the term’s capacity to address pressing social issues. As long as the concept fulfils a key function in this respect, it cannot be considered obsolete.