Souveraineté, de quel côté es-tu? [Sovereignty, which side are you on?] is an articulation on how notions of sovereignty have been adapted according to various social, economic, and geopolitical realities. Together with playwright, poet, political essayist, and 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Wole Soyinka, writer, poet, and novelist Evelyne Trouillot reflect on governance and governments, civic engagement, the place of the arts in society, as well as state abuse and destabilization wrought by colonial and imperial regimes. Together, Soyinka and Trouillot propose that sovereignty should not solely be understood through borders or the functions of state institutions, but as rooted in living civics—informed by communitarian practice and values such as reciprocity, respect for plurality, and shared responsibility. Drawing on personal insights, their artistic practice, and cross-regional perspectives, they consider sovereignty as a concept rooted in communal well-being and a spirituality dedicated to the care of land and people.