Transnational Actors

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Transnational actors are non-state actors in international relations .

Differentiation from other actors

Not all non-state actors can be described as transnational. International organizations, such as the United Nations or the World Trade Organization , are also non-state actors, since they are not states. However, international organizations are founded by states through an act of international law, they are financed by states and only states or state-like organizations (e.g. the European Union ) can become members.

Transnational actors, on the other hand, are assigned to the social sphere, that is, they can act independently of state institutions. Ideally, transnational actors should neither have been founded by nor be financed by states.

Transnational actors must also act across national borders. An allotment garden association is a social actor, but not a transnational one. However, if the allotment garden association cooperates with allotment gardeners worldwide, it would have to be characterized as a transnational actor. However, it only becomes interesting for political science when it experiences political relevance beyond national borders.

Organizational forms

  • Actor is a broad term in political science. Individuals can be transnational actors if their international influence is based on their personal characteristics and is not derived solely from the resources of their organizations.
Examples: John Paul II , the Dalai Lama , George Soros , Ted Turner .
  • In political science, collective actors are mostly examined. These can be differentiated according to their organizational forms.
  • Social networks are associations of individuals and / or groups who support each other of their own free will and exchange resources.
Examples: epistemic communities , terror networks
  • Social movements are not formally organized, but have a following that is pushing for extensive social change.
Examples: critics of globalization, international peace , women's and ecological movements
  • Organizations are based on formal membership and division of labor and hierarchical organization. Transnational organizations in the narrower sense should have members from at least three countries.
Examples: international non-governmental organizations ( Amnesty International , Greenpeace etc.), multinational companies

literature

  • Sanjeev Khagram, James V. Riker, Kathryn Sikkink (Eds.): Restructuring world politics. Transnational Social Movements, Networks, and Norms, Minneapolis, London 2002.
  • David Kowalski: Transnational organizations and actors. In: Mary Hawkesworth , Maurice Kogan (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Government and Politics, (Vol. 2), London, New York 1992, pp. 944-956.
  • Thomas Risse-Kappen (Ed.): Bringing transnational relations back in. Non-state actors, domestic structures and international institutions. Cambridge 1995.
  • Manuel Schmitz: World politics transnational. International civil society and Australian and American East Timor policy. Nomos, Baden-Baden 2010, ISBN 978-3-8329-5536-6
  • Peter Willets: Transnational actors and international organizations in global politics. In: John Baylis, Steve Smith (Eds.), The globalization of world politics. An introduction to international relations. Oxford et al. 2001, pp. 356-383.