Liberal Nationalism in David Miller's Thought: Between the Right to Self-Determination and Territorial Rights
the international and political journal
Abstract
This research takes as its starting point the philosophical debate sparked by liberal nationalism regarding the possibility of reconciling the particularity of national belonging with the values underpinning contemporary liberalism. It focuses on David Miller’s framework, in which the nation is accorded moral and political significance that transcends mere identity; instead, it encompasses the mutual rights and responsibilities arising from national membership. The study examines the philosophical foundations Miller uses to justify the right of national groups to self-determination, as well as his transition from this right to the more complex issue of territorial entitlement.
The central problem addressed is whether liberal nationalism can ground these two rights in a manner consistent with liberal commitments—particularly when multiple groups lay claim to the same territory, or when their identities and historical ties overlap. To address this, the research analyzes Miller’s texts and traces the interconnections among the concepts of nation, identity, responsibility, self-determination, and territory within his intellectual framework. Accordingly, the study moves from defining the ethical underpinnings and conditions of legitimacy for liberal nationalism to analyzing the concept and limits of self-determination, before finally examining Miller’s theory of territorial rights and the criteria determining a national group's entitlement to a specific territory.
The research concludes that the significance of David Miller’s project lies in its attempt to construct a conception of nationalism that does not position recognition of the nation as antithetical to liberty and liberal principles, and in its linking of self-determination and territorial entitlement to a range of considerations—such as national identity, historical continuity, and collective responsibility. However, the normative strength of this conception does not imply an ability to resolve every real-world case; its limitations become particularly evident when conflicting historical ties converge on a single territory, or when groups and identities overlap in ways that preclude assigning rights to a single party based on any solitary criterion. Thus, while Miller’s project provides a vital normative foundation for understanding claims to self-determination and territorial rights, it requires further development and refinement regarding how to balance competing claims in complex territorial disputes
References
- David Miller, "Nationality: Some Replies," Journal of Applied Philosophy, Vol. 14, no. 1, (69-82), 1997.
- David Miller, “Territorial Rights: Concept and Justification,” Political Studies, Vol. 60, no. 2, (1-17), 2011.
books:
- Allen Buchanan, Justice, legitimacy, and self-determination: Moral foundations for international law, Oxford University Press, 2004.
- Anthony D. Smith, a critical survey of recent theories of nations and nationalism, st1. ed., Routledge, New York, 1998.
- Daniel Butt, Sarah Fine and Zofia Stemplowska, Political Philosophy, Here and Now: Essays in Honour of David Miller, Oxford University Press, UK, 2022.
- David Held, Democracy and the Global Order: From the Modern State to Cosmopolitan Governance, Polity Press, Cambridge, 1995.
- Derek Matravers, Jon Pike, Debates in contemporary political philosophy, Routledge, USA, Routledge, 2003.
- John Hoffman and Paul Graham، Introduction to Political Ideologies, 3rd ed, Routledge, New York, 2015.
- Joseph H. Carens, The Ethics of Immigration, 1st. ed, Oxford University Pres, New York, 2013.
- Margaret Moore, The Ethics of Nationalism, st1. Ed, Oxford University Press, New York, 2001.
- Margaret Moore, A Political Theory of Territory, 1st. ed, Oxford University Press, New York, 2015.
- Margaret Moore, National Self-Determination and Secession, ed. 1st , Oxford University Press, 1998.
- Yael Tamir, Liberal Nationalism, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1993.
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