Network structure of state and non-state actors in evolving international security environment

Abstract

The primary actors that pose threats to the international security lied with nation-states. With the rise of non-state actors that operate beyond territorial borders, the traditional framework of international security facing new challenges. Among many non-state actors, terrorist groups are represented as main rising threats that pose grave threats to international security. They are becoming increasingly systematic and operate internationally, complicating situations for nation-states. With this evolving international security environment, this study focused on relational aspects among state actors and non-state actors by mainly applying network analysis to observe their distinctive patterns. First, the relations among competing state-actors, during and after the Cold War are analyzed. Next, the relations among terrorist groups are analyzed, with the focus on longevity and death of the groups are analyzed. Finally, this paper observed how the current development of technology will shape the future of international security as a whole and derive policy implications to tackle the problems in the future.