Metropolises in the Global Governance: Towards a 21st Century Neo-Medievalism?

Abstract

The XXIst century order represents, in our opinion, a dynamic order, having a complex nature, defined by state actors and especially, by decisions and actions of the non-state actors. The present paper premise is to explore, apart from these features, the multi-level governance of this XXIst century order as post-westphalian order, where multiple sovereignties are shaped, due to the existence of multiple levels of governance. The academics are using, as to define this process, the ”neo-medievalist” term, to illustrate the diffuse, interconnected authorities and multiple levels of political decision, and also, the rising of non-state actors on the global framework. We consider that, among these global actors, there can be taken into account also, the metropolises and megalopolises, which, at present, from the perspective of the contemporary international law, haven’t acquired the quality of being subjects of international law, as the states. Nevertheless, in a global order, based on a global normative regime regarding the non-state actors (in this case, the megalopolises and metropolises), and also, from the perspective of a global law, these actors are receiving the quality of subjects of global law, allowing them to assume responsibility before regional and international jurisdictional instances.