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Reflections on the notion of nation-states
On this website, I offer my personal insights into the notion of nation-state, sovereignty, and rebel governance, examining why sovereignty remains a contested concept and how the nation-state today serves as both a remedy and a complication. This is not strictly a scientific forum, but a space to articulate my thoughts, drawn from my professional experiences, analytical work, lived personal experience, and meaningful dialogues with peers who share an interest in the socio-political themes explored here.
Reflections on nation-state
As a researcher and practitioner, I attempt to bridge the gap between academic inquiry, my personal experiences and reflections, and narrative fiction in my writings on this page. My writings here explore the complex dynamics of nation-state, state-building, governance, sovereignty, and territorial contestation, where I try to make scientific rigor meet the both the real-world policy discourse and my own literary and poetic exploration in a topic that I like most. This space is a sanctuary for my own reflections; a place where I can breathe and share the perspectives that define my scholarly, personal, and professional journey and readings.
Disclaimer: This photo does not belong to me and was not taken by me. Used for illustrative purposes only.
About
Maiwen Ngalueth
Maiwen Ngalueth is a Geneva-based South Sudanese practitioner and researcher focused on rebel governance, conflict analysis, peace, and humanitarian studies. Originally from Abyei, he has spent more than 15 years working with major humanitarian organizations, including the UN, MSF, Enough Project, Geneva Call, and the ICRC. He is currently a researcher at the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP) at the Geneva Graduate Institute.
Maiwen studied at the University of Juba in South Sudan, the University of Geneva, and the Geneva Graduate Institute, where he earned master's degrees in humanitarian studies and international affairs.
Through this website, he shares personal reflections on 'rebel governance' in an era where nation-states dominate international politics.
“I do not know yet why states emerged in the first place, but I can claim safely that nation-states came up in our recent human history as part of our quest to address major challenges facing our human societies not long time ago. When the Westphalian state came to being, we thought we understood why we needed such an arrangement, and more or less the magnitude of challenges we were trying to address. Now, if the notion of nation-state itself is facing challenges, then we need to know better why that has been the case; why the notion of sovereignty has been - and continue to be - contested; why rebellions emerge; and what humanity could do better - at least - to figure out a new system of governance - if at all - that works for ALL of us. And here I mean ALL of us, not only the lucky majority.”
Maiwen Ngalueth
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