Non-State Actors in International Relations

This edited volume addresses the role of non-state actors (NSAs) in international relations. From their emergence in the early 20^th century, entities of non-state status have played a role of increasing prominence in international politics. Scholarly work has been slow to catch up, approaching NSAs mainly through the scope of legitimacy and international law or limiting focus to NGOs, international organizations, and economic corporations. This volume remedies that, creating a typology of NSAs based on systematic and coherent analysis.

Presenting a series of cases of NSAs across the continuum of international relations, the chapters firmly ground NSAs in the ontology of international relations theory. 

Filling a gap in the current literature, this book will be of interest to students and researchers of international relations theory, international politics, international security, diplomatic history, and European and Middle East politics, as well as policy-makers and practitioners.

This edited volume discusses non-state actors as agents of foreign policy. It questions whether non-state actors can act as foreign policy makers and if the contemporary role of non-state actors constitutes a theoretical challenge to foreign policy. Chapters demonstrate the impact of non-state entities through the lenses of their direct role as decision-makers, with examples drawn from the African continent, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Arguing for the necessity of approaching foreign policy in a broader frame, beyond the scope of the state and the individual, the book fills a gap in the literature and creates a closer nexus between area studies and foreign policy. This volume will be of interest to both academics and practitioners across the fields of international relations, foreign policy analysis, and area studies.