In the contemporary global system, states assume the role of being the fundamental units of the international system. They are unitary actors and serve as the security landscape in global politics.

The Westphalian Foundations of the Modern State System

The foundation of the modern state system was laid by the Treaty of Westphalia, which concluded in 1648, marking the most crucial moment in the political history of the world. The prime objective of signing this treaty was to end Europe’s Thirty Years war. However, it also underpinned the fundamental principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, and authority of a state to administer justice, formulate laws, and conduct independent foreign policy.

Since then, these principles have been serving as norms of the new international structure. However, the ever-changing global dynamics, the rise of non-state actors as significant stakeholders in the modern global structure, the surge in globalization, and the evolving obstacles to national sovereignty have raised solemn concerns about the relevance of the Westphalian order in the modern world.

The Rise of Non-State Actors and Global Disruptions

This could only be gauged by comparing the prevailing strategic environment with that of the pre-Westphalian era. Before the Treaty of Westphalia, the world was characterized by an intricate web of........

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