How do nongovernmental organizations and global social movements challenge the political power of nation-states?

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and global social movements challenge the traditional political power of nation-states by expanding the scope of political discourse and operating across borders through transnational coalitions.1

These actors exert influence primarily through the following methods:

• Expanding Political Agendas: They push for the inclusion of issues beyond traditional national security and resource distribution, such as human rights, environmentalism, and the protection of minority identities.12
• Strategic Use of Information: Lacking coercive power, these groups rely on the dissemination of information, expertise, and symbolic narratives to change the behavior of governments and international organizations.342
• Transnational Organization: By utilizing advanced media and digital technologies, they bypass the confinement of political struggles to individual states, creating a global civil society that operates in a virtual space.152
• Norm Setting: They play a central role in creating, monitoring, and strengthening international norms and treaties, often participating in forums like the United Nations to influence policy-making.42

While some scholars argue these movements erode state sovereignty, others maintain that states remain essential, occasionally reasserting their power in response to such activism.54