Abstract
Over the years it has become evident that the state is no longer the only actor within the international system. Neoliberal globalization has made it possible for new actors such as NGOs and MNCs to participate in world politics and play an increasingly influential role in diplomacy. However, an actor that has been frequently overlooked but is starting to gain prominence in international relations discourse is the city. With the increased migration of people from rural to urban areas, which has consequently increased the role of cities in the international system, cities have started playing a larger role in the world economy and politics. City-led initiatives have been able to emphasise the importance of cities as areas of opportunity and solutions for global challenges, and through city networks cities have been able to make a larger contribution to the mitigation of global issues. This study aimed to investigate, through a case study of the city of Johannesburg, the role and agency of African cities in world politics. This was done by analysing primary data in the form of official reports, policy documents, speeches as well as semi-structured interviews with officials within the city of Johannesburg and relevant city networks. The main findings of this study highlights the city’s inability to make significant progress on some of its objectives, especially those targeted towards city-to-city engagements. However, the city has seen much success in its involvement in city networks. The ability of city officials to establish and leverage relationships with fellow city network members allowed them to garner votes in their favour when contesting for positions within these networks. Their election into different high-level positions within city networks, provided the city the ability to exercise a level of agency.
M.A. (Politics)