Date of Award

Spring 5-21-2026

Document Type

Thesis (Master's)

Department or Program

Master of Arts in Liberal Studies

First Advisor

Evelyn Lechner

Second Advisor

Peter DeShazo

Third Advisor

David Van Wie

Abstract

This thesis explores the conditions under which some contractual autonomous jurisdictions without historic or ethnic mandates endure when their parent state's politics change, and others are scrapped. It analyses the Dubai International Financial Centre and Honduras Zones for Employment and Economic Development as two legalised governance spaces within states. The research focuses on a key issue in special jurisdiction studies: statutory, contractual, court and regulatory autonomy can be created, but the parent state can limit and/or abolish autonomy when political conditions change. This thesis employs a qualitative comparison case study, conducting documentary research, legal and institutional text analysis, within-case analysis, cross-case comparison and mechanism-based explanation. The results reveal that DIFC has been resilient because its autonomy is limited, business-oriented, institutionally rich, and fits with Dubai's strategic financial plans. Its courts, regulatory, legal and business infrastructure generate reputational and strategic withdrawal costs for the host state. In contrast, the ZEDEs had greater autonomy in legal, regulatory and administrative matters, but their design was politicised. The political debate shifted the ZEDEs into a sovereignty, democracy and territorial integrity problem. Repeal and constitutionality show that formal legal protections didn't provide sufficient credible commitment. The thesis claims that persistence relies on a double lock: the cost of exiting and credible external (or externalised) guarantors. These must be in place before political turnaround and acceptable to the parent state. The study finds that contractual autonomy can only survive if legal differentiation becomes politically institutionalised and convenient.

Download

Share

COinS