Diplomacy in Times of Pandemic and Wars: Transnational Actors Are Coming of Age in an Era of Fragmentation and Friction

Abstract

Abstract: This article looks at the coming of age of an assortment of international non-state actors, including transnational civil society, multinational corporations, subnational entities, and supranational organizations. With their agendas and structures, these actors are forcing a search for joint solutions to global challenges—from the pandemic to a recurrence of warfare to climate change—that transcend the realm of the nation-state. They do not necessarily challenge the global order as much as complement it. Through the nature of their interactions with nation-states and with each other, they are becoming diplomatic actors. If properly incorporated, they could help shape a new and more inclusive global order.