This research challenges the universal application of Westphalian legitimacy. Using Syria as a case study, it shows how external notions of sovereignty clash with internal consent. From Ottoman rule to the Ba’athists and the recent regime shift, Syria illustrates how Realpolitik overrides popular will. The study argues for a global order that respects grassroots self-determination over imposed political models.
Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations argues Islam and the West are destined to collide, yet this framing is misleading. Civilisations are not monoliths, and violence is not unique to religion. Western liberalism and secularism, often portrayed as neutral, function as ideologies with their own propensity for domination and violence. The true clash lies not in culture, but in competing ideologies seeking global supremacy.
This dissertation explores Israel’s actions in Gaza post-October 7th through the lens of international law and philosophy, arguing that they constitute genocide. It critically examines the failures of legal mechanisms like the ICJ and ICC, and proposes a radical alternative—an independent Leviathan—to enforce justice where the international community remains complicit through inaction