Short Abstract:

This panel explores the role of non-state actors in political crises and how that challenges concepts of statehood. We invite scholars to examine how these actors gain legitimacy, provide public goods and humanitarian aid, and the impacts on traditional frameworks of aid and citizen-state relations.

Long Abstract:

The recent rise in political crises, marked by conflicts and autocratic governance, has renewed interest in the roles of various actors in state-building and governance. Democratic backsliding is evident globally, especially in Africa, where coups and conflicts are prevalent, but also in North America and Europe, where populism has led to restrictions on citizen rights and the mistreatment of refugees. Amid this turmoil, civil society and grassroots movement activity have surged, challenging centralisation of power, oppression and marginalisation. For example, in Sudan, grassroots groups mobilised against a thirty-year dictatorship, while the Occupy movement in the U.S. initially focused on police violence before addressing other issues like the Palestinian struggle. This panel explores how non-state actors—specifically civil society and grassroots movements—challenge and redefine concepts of statehood, gain legitimacy, provide public goods, and supplement humanitarian efforts in conflict zones.

We invite contributions from scholars examining questions such as: How do non-state actors redefine sovereignty in political crises? What strategies do they use to gain legitimacy? What are the implications for traditional state-citizen relations? How do non-state actors provide governance and public goods in conflict-affected regions? What are the implications for traditional aid frameworks? What are the implications for current legal and policy frameworks, and development theories and practices? By addressing these questions, this panel aims to foster discussions on the role non-state actors play in political crises. We welcome submissions from researchers across various disciplines and geographies, particularly early career researchers and PhD students.

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