“We will become a people when…” A normative discussion of self-determination, secession and Palestine

Abstract: Self-determination as a concept within political philosophy has developed exponentially in the last few decades. This thesis maps the most prominent conceptions and establishes three main arguments. Firstly, that self-determination is a universal right for all self-identified peoples. Secondly, that secession should not be universal, but instead is dependent on the level of cohesiveness of a given people, as well as historical or contemporary injustice. Third, that while Palestine does have a right to secession, there is a risk of neglecting the refugees and their right of return in the quest for statehood. Alternatives to secession, i.e. power-sharing solutions, are discussed as well, and applied to Palestine. Critiques of nationalism, intergenerational justice and group rights are evaluated as well.