“Behind every empire’s claim to civilization lies a history written in blood.” - Aimé Césaire.

The international community has long upheld the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, yet its selective response to occupation, decolonisation, and armed resistance continues to expose deep contradictions within global governance. Across non-self-governing territories, borders shaped by colonial ambition and geopolitical convenience have fueled prolonged conflicts, displacement, and competing claims of legitimacy. While some struggles for self-determination are recognised as liberation, others are dismissed as threats to stability, often reflecting political interests rather than consistent application of international law. This agenda challenges SPECPOL to examine whether the global order genuinely safeguards the right to self-determination or strategically weaponises legality, recognition, and intervention to preserve influence. Delegates must confront the fragile balance between sovereignty and resistance, legality and morality, in a debate shaped by historical injustice, armed conflict, and the enduring consequences of colonialism on modern territorial disputes. When empires carve borders through blood and ash, does the land belong to those who rule it, or to those buried beneath it?