Lara, R. F., Añorve, D., & Zamora, G. (Coords.) (2022). Paradiplomacy in Mexico: Success Stories. Guadalajara. UGTO, UdG, and CU de los Lagos. 281 pp.

Abstract

It is a self-evident truth to say that the international order of the 21st century originated from the disappearance of the bipolar system that lasted from the end of World War II until 1992 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Among the most notable characteristics of the international structure, which is still under construction, is the emergence of actors or entities on the global stage different from those we have been accustomed to seeing as the main protagonists in the creation of international events or phenomena. These actors are different in that their actions have begun to have effects beyond their original, limited scope in both time and space. Their international presence and interaction are now much more noticeable, and they maintain connections with other entities that may be similar or different, but always with an impact—if not on international relations as a whole, then at least on state foreign policies. In other words, they produce phenomena that were previously unseen or not given much attention, making it more than necessary to consider them when reviewing the catalog of actors in a system that was once solely inter-state.