1. WHAT IS A NON-STATE ACTOR?

2. ARE WE SURE WHAT A STATE ACTOR IS?
Modern conception:
A Government (An inter-governmental institution, esp. if it has its own legal base) Military forces maintained by a government Police forces maintained by a government Civilians employed by a government (Local government authorities)

3. BUT.....
Historical complications: partial/unclear statehood, armies used to be commercially recruited, some officials worked as ‘farmers’
Ethical complications: state authorities not necessarily ‘recognized’, legitimate, or generally ‘good’
Practical complications: what is called a ‘government’ may not act like one or be the real one in a ‘weak’ state

4. PRIVATIZATION ETC
A state authority may ‘sell’ a function that it formerly controlled - privatization
It may share the costs with private funders but keep a share in control – PPP
It may purchase a service from a non-state supplier rather than doing it itself – outsourcing
It may delegate tasks ad hoc

5. TYPES OF NON-STATE ACTORS
[Supranational organizations]
(Multinational) business corporations
Terrorist and criminal networks
Factions in an internal conflict
(Multinational) NGOs
(Multinational) civil society networks
Ordinary people – you and me

6. TYPICAL NON-STATE FEATURES
Self-motivating and self-resourcing
Free choice of structure or no structure
(often) ‘transnational’ operation/impact: information access information flows equipment+technology access cross-border movement network building and ‘franchising’

7. TYPICAL PROBLEMS OF CONTROL
National and international laws do not ‘bite’ unless drafted to apply to such actors (and to take account of their characteristics)
Problems of direct coercion, deterrence or ‘defeat’
Problems of direct negotiation+agreement
Problems of tracking and controlling resource flows (multinationals, money laundering, terrorist finance, gun running etc)

8. ON THE OTHER HAND....
Non-state security activity can: Make up for weaknesses of non-functioning state, empower individuals Defend against a dysfunctional state Support and supplement the state esp in newer security dimensions (+ subsidiarity) Find transnational solutions for transnational/global processes (modernity, flexibility) Share and ease resource burdens

9. ‘GOOD’ OR ‘BAD’?
What is our instinctive classification of Multinationals? Business in general? Terrorist groups and networks? Criminals and their networks? National and international NGOS? National and international civil society networks: a) religious, b) other? Individuals playing a security role?

10. TESTCASE A: A CIVIL WAR Possible roles of multinational business
Possible roles of local business
Possible roles for terrorists
Possible roles for various kinds of criminals
Possible roles for non-state armed groups
Possible roles for NGOs, external+national
Possible roles for civil society groups
Possible roles for families+individuals

11. TESTCASE B: A BIG NATURAL DISASTER
Roles for multinationals?
Roles for other business?
Roles for terrorists?
Roles for criminals?
Roles for NGOs?
Roles for civil society groups?
Roles for individuals?