THE LANGUAGE OF DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION: SPEECH ACTS, SOVEREIGNTY, AND THE DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF STATEHOOD

Abstract

The recognition of states constitutes one of the most consequential practices within the international system. Recognition determines access to diplomatic relations, participation in international organizations, treaty-making capacity, and broader claims to international legitimacy. Despite its importance, recognition remains among the most contested concepts in international law and international relations. Scholars continue to debate whether recognition merely acknowledges an existing political reality or actively contributes to the creation of statehood itself. Although these debates have generated extensive legal and political literature, the linguistic dimension of recognition has received comparatively limited attention.