Challenging State Sovereignty:
Environmental NGOs and the Internationalization
of Local Movements

Introduction

With the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the established Westphalian state system has come under intense scrutiny. Many scholars question whether this system provides an accurate model for international affairs. (Mathews 1997; Brown 1995; Camilleri and Falk 1992; Keohane and Nye 1977) Keohane and Nye argue that today’s world system is instead characterized by multiple, transnational alliances, which undermine the traditional state-centric view of international relations. An ever growing number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) form these alliances, connecting people of similar cultures, heritage and interests. In particular, international environmental NGOs, such as the Environmental Defense Fund, unite with local resistance movements. Such NGOs have supported and internationalized the Brazilian Rubber Tapper Movement and the Narmada Bachao Andolan (India). In this web presentation I will show how the internationalization of such local movements challenges state sovereignty.

The organization of this web page will help demonstrate the ways in which the globalizalization of local movements challenges state sovereignty. The first section establishes boundaries on what I mean by state sovereignty. The second section discusses the emergence of new players in the international system. These players assume powerful roles in international relations and challenge the traditional state-centric nation-state system. In particular I look at the consequences of the internationalization of local resistance movements on the state. As empirical evidence I explore the internationalization of the Brazilian Rubber Tapper Movement and the Narmada Bachao Andolan in sections three and four respectively. In my conclusion, I recapitulate my main points and discuss the future of the nation-state system.