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Updated April 2026

IR. Explained.
Geopolitics. Analyzed.

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Narcos as IR Actors: Non-State Power in a Multipolar World

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Narcos as IR Actors: Non-State Power in a Multipolar World

Drug trafficking organizations have grown into transnational entities with geographic reach, economic power, and political influence that rival sovereign states. This article argues they must be understood as international relations actors.

April 14, 2026 · 8 min readRead analysis →

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Balance of Power → Security Dilemma → Deterrence → Hybrid Warfare → Coercive Diplomacy → Brinkmanship → Soft Power → Proxy War → Westphalian System →

58 terms defined — Anarchy to Zero-Sum Game

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Power in the twenty-first century will depend less on tanks and missiles, and more on whose story wins.

— Joseph S. Nye Jr., The Future of Power (2011)

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