Uluslararası Hukukta Devletlerin Egemen Eşitliğini Yeniden Düşünmek: Normatif İddialar ve Pratik Gerçeklikler

Öz

Egemen eşitlik, modern uluslararası hukukun temel ilkelerinden biri olarak kabul edilmekte olup Birleşmiş Milletler Antlaşması’nın 2(1). maddesinde açık biçimde ifade edilmiştir. Bu ilke, devletlerin büyüklüğü, ekonomik gücü ya da siyasal tercihleri ne olursa olsun uluslararası hukuk düzeninde eşit hukuki statüye sahip olduklarını varsayar. Bununla birlikte, uluslararası kurumların ve küresel yönetişim yapılarının içkin güç asimetrileri nedeniyle egemen eşitlik ilkesinin uygulamada çoğu zaman sembolik bir nitelik taşıdığı görülmektedir. Bu çalışma, egemen eşitlik ilkesini normatif iddiaları ile pratik uygulanışı arasındaki gerilim bağlamında yeniden değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma, hukuki metinlerin öğretisel analizi ile egemen eşitlik literatürüne ilişkin eleştirel söylem analizini bir arada kullanmaktadır. Çalışma, egemen eşitlik kavramının Avrupa merkezli kökenlerinden Birleşmiş Milletler sistemi içindeki kurumsallaşmasına uzanan tarihsel gelişimini incelemekte ve bu ilkenin sömürge sonrası hiyerarşiler, güç asimetrileri ve tanınma siyasetleri içinde nasıl hem inşa edildiğini hem de tartışmaya açıldığını göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak egemen eşitliğin normatif değeri sürmekle birlikte, ilkenin anlamlı biçimde uygulanabilmesi daha çoğulcu hukuki çerçevelerin geliştirilmesini, uluslararası kurumlarda kapsayıcılığın artırılmasını ve devletlerin farklı tarihsel ve siyasal konumlarını dikkate alan tanınma süreçlerinin oluşturulmasını gerektirmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Egemen Eşitlik
• Uluslararası Hukuk
• Postkolonyal Eleştiri
• BM Antlaşması
• Kurumsal Eşitsizlik

Rethinking Sovereign Equality of States in International Law: Normative Claims and Practical Realities

Abstract

Sovereign equality is widely recognized as a fundamental principle of modern international law and is explicitly articulated in Article 2(1) of the United Nations Charter. The concept of sovereign equality guarantees legal parity among all states, regardless of their size, relative wealth, or political orientation. However, in practice, this principle has often functioned more symbolically than substantively due to structural inequalities embedded within international institutions and systems of global governance. This article re-evaluates the principle of sovereign equality and examines its contemporary relevance in a global order marked by a significant gap between its normative ideal and its uneven application in international law. The methodology combines doctrinal analysis of legal texts and treaties with a critical discourse analysis of key scholarly works referenced in the study. The paper traces the historical evolution of sovereign equality from its Eurocentric origins through its codification within the United Nations system and examines how it has been both constructed and contested through postcolonial hierarchies, asymmetries, and recognition politics. Drawing on critical legal theory and postcolonial thought, the study demonstrates the dual character of sovereign equality as both a legal instrument designed to protect weaker states from domination and a mechanism that may reproduce forms of exclusion and inequality. Accordingly, while sovereign equality retains significant normative value, its meaningful application requires structural reforms, including more pluralistic legal frameworks, greater inclusivity in international institutional practices, and recognition processes that reflect the diverse realities and needs of states.

Keywords

• Sovereign Equality
• International Law
• Postcolonial Critique
• UN Charter
• Institutional Inequality

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