Non-humans

Races inhabiting the NationStates world other than humans are often referred to as non-human. If they tend to be close to human (as in the case of Elves and Dwarves especially) or humanoid, they are sometimes called metahuman (a term considered by many to be derogatory).

Varieties

Most predominant (apparently, although actual numbers are hard to come by) amongst these are the Elves but other races such as Orcs, Clangers, Dwarves, Catpeople and Lizardmen are also common. Other races, typically extraterrestrial in origin, are only found in one or two nations, such as the Sakkra, ZhuQaiya, Necrontyr of C'tan, and Kzin. There are also truly unusual species or subspecies limited to singular nations, like the Reploids of Reploid Productions, the Hell Bovines, of the homonim country, or the panNorm of S-14. Many species or, at least, modes of life are artificial in nature, such as Mechanoids like those in Zero-One, AI Constructs, or, again, Reploids. Another, somewhat touchy category, is that of the undead or extra-planar beings.

It is difficult to define the various non-human species of the NationStates multiverse because there are many overlapping names. For example, there are several different forms of Catpeople; Noldorin Elves are different from Sindarin Elves which are further different from Dark Elves which are different from metahuman homo sapiens nobilis Elves although all share a same basic external similarity and thus all share the name of "Elves".

Cultural Effects

Non-humans are sometimes discriminated against in predominantly human societies, which occasionally results in persecution ranging from day-to-day racism to organized, doctrinal genocide such as in The Reich. In response to this, some non-human nations tend to unite in organizations such as the Non-Human Union in an attempt to make a stand in the international community to defend their rights while others join multicultural alliances such as the United Alliance of Progressive States or the Triumvirate of Yut in an attempt to engender better understanding.

Again, it is difficult to accurately define the cultural effects of non-human populations as the cultural effect of non-humans varies from society to society. Some primarily human societies have no qualms concerning non-humans. Some react with fear and hatred. Other societies are primarily non-human to begin with, but may be of only one particular kind of non-human and are undeniably racist against other forms of humanity or non-humanity (this is depressingly common).