Global Actors

In the discipline of Global Politics, those entities that have power, and therefore the ability to influence others are referred to as actors. This is probably due to the fact that they are able to 'act'. This is a non-state centric term and covers all entities in Global Politics.

Global Actors include:

States
Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs)
Nongovernmental Organisations (NGOs)
Non-State Actors (NSAs)
Multinational Companies (MNCs - sometimes referred to Transnational Organisations (TNCs))

Some Actors in international relations have more power and influence than other actors. Why might this be so?

What is a State?

State: A Political and Legal Entity

Characteristics:

They have defined borders
They have a population
There is a central government
They are sovereign
They are recognised
Monopoly on the use of violence

Challenges to state sovereignty

The most important and first national interest of any state is to maintain their sovereignty. However, some scholars point out that the nature of state sovereignty has evolved over time and that, in particular, globalisation poses new threats to state sovereignty.

Some of the challenges to state sovereignty include:

Contested and changing borders
Issues and crises that require multilateral resolutions
Regional groupings
Aspects of globalisation

Contested and changing borders

This can occur either through interstate or intrastate conflict. That is when either two states engage in warfare with each other as in the former; or, when a group within a state tries to succeed, as in the case of a civil war.

What are some contemporary examples of this?

Issues and crises that require multilateral resolutions

The contemporary world has created many issues that no longer can be resolved by a single state, but still pose as threats to state sovereignty. These therefore require states to work together cooperatively to resolve them. In doing so, they some times have to give up some of their sovereignty. Some of these issues and crises are:

Financial crises
Global warming
International criminal syndicates
Terrorism
People movement

Regional groupings

States are increasingly prepared to join some form of regional grouping as they make calculations regarding benefits and costs. In joining regional groups states give up some of their sovereignty to higher authority outside of the state. For example, member states of the EU have given up control over immigration and financial controls for the benefits of belonging to a bigger economic and political entity. Some example of regional groupings are:

The EU
NATO
GCC
ASEAN
NAFTA