Abstract:

As the Neo-realist theory in international relations suggests, international political system presents an anarchic environment. In other words, since there is no formally recognized supreme authority among equally sovereign units, states generally act in “self-help” to maximize their national interests. However, due to ever-increasing importance of human rights issues in the 21st century, the Westphalian understanding of state sovereignty in international affairs has gradually eroded and turned into a new one in which states intervene in each other’s domestic jurisdictions especially regarding human rights issues. The extremist practice of this intervention is humanitarian interventions. However, when the practice of humanitarian intervention after the Cold War is examined, it is seen that not only altruistic motives were effective for states, but they also aimed at maximizing their self-interest and that the main concept of the neo-realist theory is still valid. 

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