aktörers

Aktörer is a term used in sociology, political science, and related disciplines to refer to entities capable of action within a system. In Swedish and Norwegian usage, the plural is aktörer and the genitive form aktörers denotes ownership or association with actors (for example, aktörers inflytande means 'the actors’ influence'). In English-language scholarship, the close equivalent is 'actors', and the related notion of actants is used in actor-network theory.

Actual aktörer can be people, organizations, states, networks, technologies, practices, or norms. The concept emphasizes agency—the capacity to affect outcomes—rather than assuming outcomes arise only from structural forces. Both human and non-human entities may be treated as actors in contemporary analyses, reflecting a broad view of influence.

Analyses of aktörer often examine their roles, interests, resources, connections, and power relations. Common approaches include stakeholder analysis, governance studies, and network analysis, all of which map how aktörer interact to produce policies, decisions, or social change.

Critics warn that the term risks reifying actors or attributing agency too broadly. Definitional boundaries can be blurred, and the distinction between structure and agency may be difficult to sustain when everything is treated as an actor. Language differences can also obscure precise meaning across disciplines.

See also: actor-network theory, actant, agency, stakeholder, network analysis.