Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Professor, Department of International Relations, Allame Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Although the study of politics is no longer limited to the examination of the state as an institution and encompasses all aspects of social life, the nature and function of the state remain among the most significant subjects of discussion in this historically significant field. Especially as continuous and fundamental changes in society and global relations have led to transformations in both functions and perceptions of the state. States still represent the most important social institution in human existence, and the primary question facing social and political scientists is whether the fundamental transformation of global relations will lead to the elimination or alteration of the state institution. Some theorists of international relations, particularly among realists, believe that the state neither disappears nor does its primary function change. The state of the world and international relations is fundamentally the same as it has always been. That is, states will remain the main actors in the field of international relations, and their primary role will continue to be ensuring security and protecting interests within their borders, all within an anarchic world that lacks any centralized power to govern it and has its own unique rules and order.
Accordingly, the main question of this article is how, according to Anne-Marie Slaughter, can the state continue to play its role in a networked world. The secondary question is whether the indicators proposed by Slaughter for the state's role in a networked world align with current realities.
Our preliminary answer to this question is that, according to Slaughter, the functions of the state continue in a manner that aligns with the internal rules of global networks, albeit the discontinuous state as Slaughter has described has not yet fully materialized. The subsidiary hypothesis is that the state will act as a discontinuous institution within judicial, decision-making, action-oriented, and norm-setting global networks. However, we cannot yet speak of the emergence of a new form of the state called the discontinuous state.
Our method for examining these hypotheses is a mixed approach derived from a deductive strategy. This means that Anne-Marie Slaughter's theory will serve as the main framework for analysis, and this theory will be tested using qualitative interpretations and indicators on one hand, and quantitative indicators on the other. To this end, we will first examine Slaughter's concepts based on her primary sources and then evaluate the indicators of this theory with empirical evidence.
Although Anne-Marie Slaughter has been influenced by other theorists' viewpoints, she strives to present new insights. She believes we are facing a serious paradox in the age of global networks. On one hand, there are global networks that have made globalization an inevitable part of human life, and on the other hand, there is an increasing need for states to govern and manage various issues that encompass all dimensions of social life in different countries. Some believe that the expansion of globalization and the inevitability of global networks will weaken or eliminate the state, thus reducing the need for its governance and role. However, Slaughter argues that the need for states and their roles in the process of globalization will increase, presenting a paradox in the modern world. She understands global political networks as follows: "Global political networks stem from diverse projects of 'reinventing and reimagining the state,' both academically and practically. These projects focus on various ways the private sector can perform functions and roles traditionally associated with government, from providing expertise for public services to overseeing and controlling compliance."
An examination of the indicators that Slaughter presents regarding state networks in the global arena shows that these indicators somewhat reflect reality, but as this theorist claims, they have not led to the emergence of a new phenomenon. An analysis of global realities indicates that such networks do exist, and as we will explore in subsequent pages, their existence and influence cannot be denied. However, given that her central concept is the discontinuous state, these networks have not yet resulted in a discontinuity of states. As we will demonstrate, these networks influence decisions and laws in various countries, but not to the extent that would transform a continuous state into a discontinuous one.
Anne-Marie Slaughter offers a new perspective on the role and manner of state functioning in the global age, aptly termed the disaggregated state. This new perspective can explain many phenomena and new developments in the world and provide a fresh theoretical framework for understanding the state. Nevertheless, while Slaughter's concept and theory align with many ongoing transformations and open a new window for understanding them, they still cannot explain all dimensions of the actual state and political world, nor can many new political currents and realities be accounted for within this theory. The statistics and examples presented in this article reveal that although initial sprouts of the phenomenon of the discontinuous state are visible, it has not yet fully materialized. States continue to play significant roles in most areas...
Keywords
- Disaggregated state
- Anne-Marrie Slaughter
- Transformation of state
- Global network of states
- Essence of state
Main Subjects
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