“BREAKING SOVEREIGN BOUNDS: INDIVIDUALS AS AGENTS AND SUBJECTS IN INTERNATIONAL LAW”
AUTHOR – JANVI J BHANUSHALI, STUDENT AT CHRIST (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY)
BEST CITATION – JANVI J BHANUSHALI, “BREAKING SOVEREIGN BOUNDS: INDIVIDUALS AS AGENTS AND SUBJECTS IN INTERNATIONAL LAW”, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (8) OF 2026, PG. 34-42, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/IJLRV6I85
Individuals in International Law
International law has evolved over time. However, it is quite common to see this development through a state-centric prism. This is scarcely surprising, considering that states were traditionally treated as the sole subjects of international law. The authors argue that such an interpretation is now outdated. One hundred years ago, individuals were viewed as mere objects of international concern. They are now recognized as enjoying certain rights and obligations themselves. The authors begin by exploring this evolution and analyzing several important historical milestones, theoretical frameworks, and case examples to clarify the current place of individual agency in international law. The research addresses the question: to what extent will individuals be deemed legitimate actors of the legal order at the international level? The present study also extends into the practical and theoretical consequences of individual subjecthood, as well as the possibilities and problems with domesticating individual rights in the context of international law