Micronations and the Search for Sovereignty

Micronations and the Search for Sovereignty is a 2020 macronational book about micronations.

Authors and publication

Harry Hobbs and George Williams are a micropatriology duo; both are Australian lawyers and legal academics with a noted interest in international law and indigenous sovereignty. Hobbs is a human rights lawyer and Williams is an Australian constitutional law professor. Hobbs discovered micronationalism through his research of indigenous sovereignty, and immediately became interested. The duo published their first academic article regarding micronations together on 22 April 2021, having previously collaborated on the 2020 second edition of the book Treaty about Indigenous peoples and governments in Australia. Hobbs wrote an opinion piece for The Conversation on 7 July discussing why Australia was a "micronation central".

Micronations and the Search for Sovereignty was published by Cambridge University Press as an ebook on 23 December 2021; and hardcover and paperback on 6 January 2022. It was published as part of the Cambridge Studies in Constitutional Law series edited by David Dyzenhaus and Thomas Poole. It is one of few micronational works to focus on the legal aspects of micronations. Hobbs appeared on several macronational news publications and podcasts to promote the book.

Content

Micronations and the Search for Sovereignty is 256 pages long and contains a preface, an appendix of micronations discussed, and a full index. The main content of the book is separated into each chapters:

• "Prince Leonard Prepares for War" (pages [pp.] 1–19)

Several micronationalists and their reasonings for declaring independence.

• "Statehood and Micronations" (pp. 20–81)

The definition of micronation, definition of statehood within international law, sovereignty, macronational legal recognition and micronational rationales for statehood.

• "Motivations" (pp. 82–125)

Expands on the first chapter; concerns the motivations, reasons and influences of micronationalists for operating their own micronations.

• "Performing Sovereignty" (pp. 126–161)

The ways in which micronations mimic macronations, micronational diplomacy, micronational summits and the intermicronational community.

• "State Responses" (pp. 162–200)

Macronational reactions and responses to micronations.

• "The Future of Micronationalism" (pp. 201–220)

A chapter discussing the continued operation of micronations and the intermicronational community.