Session 20: The New Political Arena

In this piece, Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye, bring forth a concept that is highly applicable to the current era. The theories we have studied in IR thus far, have only slightly touched upon the impact of transnationalism on world politics, which may also be attributed partly to the lack of institutions that exerted power throughout nations and partly to the lack of international communication. Advancements in technology aiding communication and the rather massive expansion of capitalism has resulted in the formation of a political landscape that is significantly different than the world war era. Institutions like the UN (which has become an increasingly powerful institution especially for the weaker states) and the IMF have now reshaped the power balance that may have existed in the world war era. States that exist today are highly reliant on other states, therefore studying one state in seclusion is rather futile. The concepts that Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye put forward, have thus become more relevant.

Transnationalism, has always existed in the industrial economies, however its importance in shaping the international political arena has not been emphasized enough in the theories we have studied. Keohane and Nye, bring forth the importance of interdependence between states, through the concept of non-state actors. Non-state actors have become more relevant to understand the political arena of today. These Non-State actors according to Keohane and Nye, exist in the form of corporations and International institutions and have significant impact on the workings of states. The authors, argue in favor of studying these actors in order to understand the International political arena. Non-state actors may also exist in the form of ideological factions that also exert great influence on the decisions of states for example ISIS and the Taliban. Conclusively, the arguments presented by Keohane and Nye are extremely relevant if we are to understand the current political landscape more effectively.