Independence, Interdependence and Flexible Sovereignty in the Small States of the Pacific

The Pacific Islands region is home to many of the world’s smallest states, most
of which emerged as part of the global trend towards decolonisation in the second half of the
twentieth century. Yet for sparsely populated, isolated island states facing particular
developmental challenges, independence can, in some ways, be a constraint. In the Pacific,
innovative flexible sovereignty arrangements – and calls for metropolitan powers to re-engage,
or remain closely engaged, with the region – have emerged as a response to this. In this way,
the idea of a sovereign small state is expanded and challenged. The concept of independence,
however, remains powerful, as seen in the enduring pro-independence movements throughout
the Pacific. In recent years, various referendums on self-determination have been held; and
more are planned, or have been proposed. Inspired by the 2020 publication of a handbook on
the politics of small states, this essay explores how sovereignty and independence are
conceptualised in the contemporary Pacific, and the significance for the future of the small
state.