ESSAY 2: CONSTRUCTIVIST VIEW OF TANs, EPISTEMIC COMMUNTIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGS (CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY SECURITY)

0.0(0)
studied byStudied by 0 people
0.0(0)
full-widthCall with Kai
GameKnowt Play
New
learnLearn
examPractice Test
spaced repetitionSpaced Repetition
heart puzzleMatch
flashcardsFlashcards
Card Sorting

1/15

encourage image

There's no tags or description

Looks like no tags are added yet.

Study Analytics
Name
Mastery
Learn
Test
Matching
Spaced

No study sessions yet.

16 Terms

1
New cards

What is the Constructivist view of the international political economy (IPE)?

Constructivism sees IPE as shaped not just by material power, but by ideas, beliefs, norms, identities, and discourse. Actors’ interests and behaviors are socially constructed through interactions and shared understandings.

2
New cards

What role do norms play in Constructivist theory?

Norms guide appropriate behavior by shaping actors’ perceptions of what is right, acceptable, or expected in global politics. They influence how problems are defined and how policies are made.

3
New cards

Who are the three main norm-spreading actors in Constructivist IPE?

  • Transnational Advocacy Networks (TANs)

  • Epistemic Communities

  • International Organizations (IOs)

4
New cards

What are Transnational Advocacy Networks (TANs)?

TANs are networks of activists (NGOs, media, social movements, etc.) who share values and collaborate across borders to promote new norms and influence states and international actors. They are “norm entrepreneurs” that challenge existing norms and push for new standards of behavior in the global arena.

5
New cards

What mechanisms do TANs use to spread norms?

  • Information Politics – Sharing credible, timely information to influence opinions (e.g., climate impact reports)

  • Symbolic Politics – Using symbols and narratives (e.g., polar bears as icons of climate change)

  • Leverage Politics – Calling on powerful actors to influence weaker ones

  • Accountability Politics – Holding states accountable to promises (e.g., climate targets)

  • Naming and Shaming – Publicly exposing norm violations to cause reputational damage

6
New cards

How have TANs influenced norms around climate change and energy security?

  • Climate Action Network (CAN) links hundreds of NGOs to push for stronger climate treaties

  • DivestInvest campaigns pressured universities, banks, and governments to divest from fossil fuels

  • Greenpeace International uses direct action and media campaigns to push for renewable energy norms

  • Sunrise Movement (US) pushed for the Green New Deal, reshaping political discourse on climate justice

TANs translate scientific knowledge into public activism, increasing pressure on states to adopt environmental norms.

7
New cards

What is the fossil fuel divestment movement an example of?

A TAN-driven campaign that promotes the norm of environmental stewardship and sustainable investment by pressuring institutions to stop funding fossil fuel companies.

8
New cards

What are Epistemic Communities?

Global networks of experts and professionals, especially scientists, who share knowledge, methods, and policy goals. Influence how policymakers understand issues

  • Shape state interests by defining problems, causes, and solutions

  • Influence how policymakers understand issues

9
New cards

How do Epistemic Communities spread norms?

Provide authoritative, peer-reviewed knowledge to governments and IOs

Offer technical advice and policy roadmaps

Influence treaty design and negotiation agendas

10
New cards

What role has the IPCC played as an Epistemic Community?

  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the most prominent epistemic community on climate

  • Produces Assessment Reports summarizing peer-reviewed climate science

  • Informs agreements like the Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

11
New cards

What are International Organizations (IOs)?

IOs are formal institutions created by states to facilitate cooperation, coordinate policy, and promote shared norms. From a Constructivist view, they are normative actors that shape state behavior by:

  • Socializing states into global norms

  • Defining appropriate behavior

  • Legitimizing and institutionalizing norms

  • Encouraging peer pressure and naming/shaming within treaty frameworks

12
New cards

How do IOs promote climate-related norms and energy security?

  • UNFCCC(United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.): Provides the main negotiation forum for climate treaties; embeds norms of collective responsibility, equity, and sustainability

  • UNEP(United Nations Environment Programme): Supports environmental governance; promotes green economy principles

  • WMO ( World Meteorological Organization): Monitors climate data, enabling evidence-based policy

  • IOs facilitate global commitments like:

    • Paris Agreement (norm of limiting warming to 1.5°C)

    • Kyoto Protocol (legally binding emission targets)

    • SDGs (climate action, affordable clean energy)

13
New cards

How do IOs influence national policies through norm diffusion?

  • Set benchmarks and standards for emissions and energy goals

  • Provide technical assistance and capacity building

  • Conduct compliance monitoring and peer reviews

  • Label states as cooperative or non-cooperative, affecting their international image and legitimacy

  • Serve as platforms for reputation-building and soft enforcement

14
New cards

How do TANs, Epistemic Communities, and IOs complement each other in spreading climate norms?

  • TANs generate public pressure and advocacy

  • Epistemic Communities supply the scientific and technical foundation

  • IOs formalize and institutionalize norms through treaties and governance mechanisms
    Together, they shift climate change from being a technical issue to a moral and political obligation for states.

15
New cards

Why are non-state actors crucial in Constructivist IPE?

Because they help construct meaning, diffuse norms, and reshape state preferences—not just reflect power politics or material interests.

16
New cards

How do TANs, Epistemic Communities, and IOs interact in norm diffusion?

  • TANs mobilize public and moral pressure

  • Epistemic Communities provide credible knowledge

  • IOs institutionalize norms and facilitate compliance
    Together, they construct shared understandings that influence state and global policy on climate change and energy security.