ABSTRACT
The growing incapacity of states to tackle the global problems that make an impact on public opinion leads civil societies to increasingly take into their hands the responsibilities of global citizenship. A term heard frequently now in the conversation about global politics and governance is "non-state actor." That's hardly an evocative pair of words, but they stand for a profound change that takes place as organizations and individuals of all kinds—organizations and individuals that are neither nation-states nor their anointed representatives—find ways to participate in the shaping of world events. Political scientist James Rosenau believes that the world is undergoing a massive and rapid increase in the ability of individuals to function as agents of change. Dialogue is essential to democratic governance; unless there's absolutely no doubt about what is the best course of action, decisions have to be reached though some process of reasoned give-and-take among groups of people who hold different opinions.
