Global Actors: Networks, Elites, Institutions

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. Oxford University Press, 2016

iCourts Working Paper Series No. 44

29 Pages Posted: 12 Feb 2016 Last revised: 17 May 2017

See all articles by Mikael Madsen

Mikael Madsen

University of Copenhagen - iCourts - Centre of Excellence for International Courts; University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Law

Mikkel Jarle Christensen

iCourts - Danish National Research Foundation's Centre of Excellence for International Courts

Date Written: February 11, 2016

Abstract

Over the past several decades scholars have intensively debated what factors drive globalization. Answers have ranged from the emergence of the information society and the global economy to value-conflicts embedded in different civilizations. A different yet closely related question is who is driving globalization? That is, however, much less studied, even if it is arguably key to making global governance intelligible. A whole list of actors seem to offer possible answers to the question of who are the globalizers? Is it global institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) or the International Criminal Court (ICC); communities of experts providing technocratic solutions; transnational networks of activists seeking to alter global and national politics by pursuing, for example, environmental or human rights agendas; or is it powerful individuals forming transnational elites taking the fate of the global society in their hands at a safe distance from ordinary politics in places such as Brussels, New York or Davos? In this chapter we address each of these possible answers in terms of global or transnational networks, elites or institutions and provide both outlines and critiques of the major theories representing each approach.

Keywords: global actors, international institutions, transnational elites, transnational power elites, epistemic communities

Suggested Citation

Madsen, Mikael and Christensen, Mikkel Jarle, Global Actors: Networks, Elites, Institutions (February 11, 2016). Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. Oxford University Press, 2016, iCourts Working Paper Series No. 44, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2731098 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2731098

Mikael Madsen

University of Copenhagen - iCourts - Centre of Excellence for International Courts ( email )

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Law ( email )

Studiestraede 6
Studiestrade 6
Copenhagen, DK-1455
Denmark

Mikkel Jarle Christensen (Contact Author)

iCourts - Danish National Research Foundation's Centre of Excellence for International Courts ( email )

Karen Blixens Plads 16
Copenhagen, DK-2300
Denmark

HOME PAGE: http://https://jura.ku.dk/english/staff/research/?pure=en/persons/342131

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