The Non-State Unlimited is a WordPress blog dedicated to reporting, discussing and analyzing subject areas surrounding the role of non-state actors in International Relations.
According to Wikipedia, non-state actors are defined as “actors on the international level which are not states; The admission of non-state actors into international relations theory is inherently a rebuke to the assumptions of realism and other “black box” theories of International Relations (IR), which argue that interactions between states are the main relationships of interest in studying international events.”
Thus, non-state actors should include, but are not limited to:
- Non Governmental Organizations (Amnesty, Human Rights Watch)
- Multi- or Trans-national Corporations (Royal Dutch Shell, Boeing)
- Media (international media, blogosphere)
- Armed organizations (terrorist groups, militias, warlords, gangs, private military and security companies, rebel groups)
- “Established” religious and other social movements (Catholic Charities, OXFAM)
- “Non/pseudo-established” theistic movements (religious cults, sects)
- Ethnic or national diaspora movements without a nation-state (Kurds, Palestinians)
- Individuals with influence (Bono, Bill Gates, Angelina Jolie)
This blog will report critically on the latest trends, operations and news concerning specific items that crudely conform to these categories. All commentary, questions and analysis are welcomed.
The blog is operated by Jody Ray Bennett, independent writer and researcher. He holds a Masters of Science from the University of Amsterdam where he specialized in International Political Economy (IPE), International Relations theory and completed a full thesis which critically analyzed the role and relationship of private military and security companies and the monopoly of force retained by the nation-state. He has conducted research throughout Western Europe, the United States and Kenya and is currently a correspondent with the Swiss Institute of Technology’s International Relations and Security Network based in Zurich, Switzerland.
Some of his work has appeared on NPR Topics, World Politics Review, ReliefWeb, PrivateForces.com, and IntelliBriefs.
He will answer your e-mails if you contact him at: jodybennett [AT] gmail [DOT] [COM].
