Constructing Sovereignty in Crisis: A Constructivist Analysis of Liberia’s Ebola Response
Keywords:
Liberia; Ebola Crisis; Sovereignty and Legitimacy; Constructivism in International Relations; Global Health Governance
Abstract
This article examines how Liberia established its sovereignty, legitimacy, and international identity during the Ebola crisis of 2014-2015. While many existing research focus on institutional weaknesses and material dependence, this study employs a constructivist perspective to highlight how ideational and normative factors influenced Liberia’s response.
By conducting a discourse analysis of governmental communications, UN resolutions, international reports, and media coverage, the study explores how Liberia framed its crisis management, engaged with international partners, and presented itself as a legitimate state under global scrutiny. The findings indicate that Liberia’s response was shaped not only by resource constrains but also by a conscious process of aligning with international norms, constructing its identity, and asserting its legitimacy. By analyzing Liberia’s experience, this article contributes to discussions on global health governance, African statehood, and the relevance of Constructivist theory in international relations.
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References
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2. Andren, R. (2017). The African Union and its behaviour during the Ebola outbreak 2014–2016: Steps towards understanding actorness and effectiveness [Master’s thesis, Swedish Defence University]. DiVA Portal. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1111601/FULLTEXT01.pdf
3. Baker, A. (2014, November 13). The Iron Lady’s ultimate test. Time. https://time.com/3597350/the-iron-ladys-ultimate-test/
4. BBC News. (2014, October 19). Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf urges world help on Ebola. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29680934
5. Biersteker, T. J., & Weber, C. (Eds.). (1996). State sovereignty as social construct. Cambridge University Press. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK604972/
6. Brahm, E. (2004). Sovereignty. Beyond Intractability. https://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/sovereignty
7. Brooks, M. (2015). Ebola goes global: The future of development accountability and media empowerment in Liberia. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/ebola-goes-global-the-future-of-development-accountability-and-media-empowerment-in-liberia/
8. Cakouros, B. E., Gum, J., Levine, D. L., Lewis, J., Wright, A. H., Dahn, B., & Talbert-Slagle, K. (2024). Exploring equity in global health collaborations: A qualitative study of donor and recipient power dynamics in Liberia. Global Health Action, 17(1), 1–12. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10946382/
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Ebola surveillance—Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 65(Suppl. 3), 35–43. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/su/su6503a6.htm
10. Checkel, J. T. (1999). Norms, institutions, and national identity in contemporary Europe. International Studies Quarterly, 43(1), 83–114. Oxford University Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2600966
11. Clapham, C. (1996). Africa and the international system: The politics of state survival. Cambridge University Press. https://assets.cambridge.org/97805215/72071/sample/9780521572071ws.pdf
12. Dalberto, G. (2020). Coloniality and security: Discourses and practices of security sector reforms in Liberia [Doctoral dissertation, Universidade de São Paulo]. USP Theses. https://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/8/8132/tde-04112020-212829/publico/2020_GermanaDalberto_VCorr.pdf
13. Englebert, P., & Tull, D. M. (2008). Post-conflict reconstruction in Africa: Flawed ideas about failed states. International Security, 32(4), 106–139. https://www.jstor.org/stable/30129793
14. Fidler, D. P. (2004). SARS, governance, and the globalization of disease. Palgrave Macmillan. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9780230006263
15. Finnemore, M. (2009). National interests in international society. Cornell University Press. https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9780801483233/national-interests-in-international-society
16. Harman, S., & Papamichail, A. (2024). Global health governance. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Global-Health-Governance/Harman-Papamichail/p/book/9781138560369
17. Holm, M., & Sending, O. J. (2018). States before relations: On misrecognition and the bifurcated regime of sovereignty. Review of International Studies, 44(5), 829–847. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0260210518000372
18. Kamradt-Scott, A. (2015). Managing global health security: The World Health Organization and disease outbreak control. Palgrave Macmillan. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274136790_Managing_Global_Health_Security
19. Liberian Embassy in the U.S. (2014). A strong response to the Ebola threat in Liberia: President Sirleaf sets up and heads a task force. https://www.liberianembassyus.org/in-the-news/a-strong-response-to-the-ebola-threat-in-liberia-president-sirleaf-sets-up-and-heads-a
20. Moon, S., Sridhar, D., Pate, M. A., Jha, A. K., Clinton, C., Delaunay, S., & Piot, P. (2015). Will Ebola change the game? Ten essential reforms before the next pandemic: The report of the Harvard-LSHTM independent panel on the global response to Ebola. The Lancet, 386(10009), 2204–2221. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00946-0
21. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2016). The Ebola epidemic in West Africa: Proceedings of a workshop. The National Academies Press. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/23653/the-ebola-epidemic-in-west-africa-proceedings-of-a-workshop
22. Perry, J. S. J. (2020). Social mobilization as the ultimate value in combating a pandemic: The case of Liberia in 2014–15. Ultimate Reality and Meaning, 37(3–4), 199–212. https://doi.org/10.3138/uram.37.3-4.199
23. Regenerative Economics. (2024–2025). Origins, legitimacy, and power of states (5.1.2). https://www.regenerativeeconomics.earth/regenerative-economics-textbook/5-the-state/5-1-what-is-the-state/5-1-2-origins-legitimacy-and-power-of-states
24. Rotberg, R. I. (2003). State failure and state weakness in a time of terror. Brookings Institution Press. https://assets.cambridge.org/97805215/72071/sample/9780521572071ws.pdf
25. Sending, O. J. (2015). The politics of expertise: Competing for authority in global governance. University of Michigan Press. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292150535_The_Politics_of_Expertise
26. Taylor, R. C. R. (2021). Global governance of pandemics. Global Governance, 27(3), 495–515. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8441821/
27. Time Magazine. (2014, July 31). Sierra Leone declares health emergency amid Ebola outbreak. Time. https://time.com/3063174/ebola-sierra-leone-africa-emergency/
28. United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER). (n.d.). UN mission for Ebola emergency response. https://ebolaresponse.un.org/un-mission-ebola-emergency-response-unmeer
29. United Nations Security Council. (2014, September 18). With spread of Ebola outpacing response, Security Council adopts resolution 2177 (2014) urging immediate action, end to isolation of affected states (SC/11566). https://press.un.org/en/2014/sc11566.doc.htm
30. Wane, E.-G., Williams, P. D., & Kihara-Hunt, A. (2019). The future of peacekeeping: New models and related capabilities [Independent study commissioned by the United Nations Department of Peace Operations]. United Nations. https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/the_future_of_peacekeeping_new_models_and_related_capabilities_-_nov1.pdf
31. Wendt, A. (1992). Anarchy is what states make of it: The social construction of power politics. International Organization, 46(2), 391–425. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818300027764
32. Wilkinson, A., & Fairhead, J. (2016). Comparison of social resistance to Ebola response in Sierra Leone and Guinea suggests explanations lie in political configurations not culture. Critical Public Health, 27(1), 495–515. https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2016.1252034
33. Williams, P. D. (2013). Fighting for peace in Somalia. Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/fighting-for-peace-in-somalia-9780198724544
34. World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa. (2015). Ebola outbreak in Liberia is over. World Health Organization. https://www.afro.who.int/news/ebola-outbreak-liberia-over
35. World Health Organization. (2023). Liberia officially closes Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors’ men’s health screening program. World Health Organization. https://www.afro.who.int/countries/liberia/news/liberia-officially-closes-ebola-virus-disease-evd-survivors-mens-health-screening-program
Published
2025-09-24
How to Cite
Williams, M. N. (2025). Constructing Sovereignty in Crisis: A Constructivist Analysis of Liberia’s Ebola Response. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 45, 567. Retrieved from https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/view/20073
Section
ESI Preprints
Copyright (c) 2025 Michlyne Nyenegahn Williams
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
