Part II: Contextualizing International Organization and Global Governance
Contextualizing International Organization and Global Governance: Part Introduction
Aim of Part II: To provide a rounded, nuanced backdrop to IOs and global governance beyond quick, end-of-war narratives.
Common critique of existing accounts:
Focus on dramatic moments (e.g., postwar visions) rather than slow, incremental processes.
Space and publication constraints push toward concise, contested, or simplified histories.
Purpose of these chapters:
Offer robust, expert analyses on how the contemporary global governance landscape emerged and operates.
Build on authors’ previous work while advancing key topics about the formation, dynamics, and actors in today’s world order.
Structure of the part:
Start with the evolution of global governance as a phenomenon.
Then unpack constitutive aspects: law, power, authority, and agents.
Overview of the five chapters and their focal contributions:
Chapter 1 (Craig N. Murphy): The emergence of global governance.
Chapter 2 (Charlotte Ku): The evolution of the international legal apparatus.
Chapter 3 (Michael Barnett and Raymond Duvall): The diffusion of power in international organizations.
Chapter 4 (David Held): The diffusion of authority across global governance.
Chapter 5 (Susan K. Sell): The identity of the governors in the global system.
Key framing idea across chapters:
Global governance is driven by a mix of incremental regulation and transformational moments.
IOs operate at multiple levels and include both state and non-state actors.
Power is deployed, diffused, and contested within a multilayered, multi-actor system.
Notable recurring concepts:
Inter-imperial world: nineteenth-century context where colonial powers shaped early IOs through standards and commerce.
Creeping global governance: gradual, often technical, agreements that enable broader social and economic governance.
Transnational actors and civil society: groups and networks that push social agendas (health, labor conditions, human rights).
Technical standards: mundane agreements (e.g., common chemical and electrical units) that enabled market expansion and consumer access.
The stakes of incrementalism:
Set the stage for post-World War II leadership and the creation of the UN system.
Contributed to the development of a global economy that persists under varied political pressures (e.g., future administrations).
Core takeaway:
Understanding today’s IOs and global governance requires tracing slow-building processes as well as dramatic shifts, and recognizing the roles of states, firms, NGOs, and civil society actors.
Chapter synopses: how the five chapters conceptually fit together
Murphy and Ku set up a narrative of gradual regulation building the framework for today’s global governance.
Barnett & Duvall introduce power as a dual force: IOs can reinforce existing power structures while diffusing power to broader actors.
Held extends the diffusion idea to authority, highlighting cross-cutting actors and ongoing sovereignty constraints.
Sell centers the question of governance: who actually governs, through what legitimating mechanisms, and can any actor govern alone?
The chapters link through the shared thread that governance is increasingly distributed, layered, and contested across borders.
Chapter 1: The emergence of global governance (Craig N. Murphy)
Core claim: Contemporary global governance has private, hidden, and often overlooked origins in the inter-imperial world of the 19th century.
Key mechanisms in the nascent system:
Technical standards as catalysts: common units for chemicals and electricity.
These standards supported industrial capitalism by enabling new markets and consumer access to previously unavailable goods.
Standards also facilitated integration into expanding market systems, creating dependencies and cross-border exchange.
Social and civil society dynamics:
Progressive social agendas gained traction through coalitions of civil society actors.
Interstate conferences and transnational associations addressed issues like human health and labor conditions.
The role of states:
States were not irrelevant; they were integral to the early, gradual formation of global governance, balancing private sector dynamics and civil society.
Phase shift after World War II:
Incremental developments culminated in a step-change in world order led by the United States.
This shift contributed to the creation of the UN system and a global framework that shapes today’s world economy.
Implications for understanding IOs:
Today’s IOs and governance arrangements have deep, long-running roots in incremental, cross-border cooperation and standard-setting, not only postwar idealism.
Implications for truth-telling about history:
The “end of war” narrative misses the longer arc of gradual institutionalization that enabled postwar transformations.
Chapter 2: The evolution of international law (Charlotte Ku)
Central thesis: Since the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia, international law has evolved into a dynamic, multifaceted system.
What constitutes the international legal regime:
A mix of interstate agreements, norms, declarations, public and private arrangements, and concordats between states and non-state actors.
This regime mediates state behavior and supports peace, human rights, and progressive social aims.
Key features of the evolution:
Law’s dynamism: able to respond to stakeholder needs and adapt to changing transnational activity.
It addresses the wellbeing and safety of individuals, serves the collective political and economic interests of states, and facilitates cross-border activity.
The move from interstate to multivariate governance:
The post-Westphalian era’s strictly interstate system gave rise to a broader legal framework that accommodates multiple actors (non-state actors, NGOs, multinational corporations).
Significance of the legal regime:
International law now underpins today’s global governance by providing rules, standards, and dispute-resolution mechanisms that constrain or enable state behavior.
Overarching takeaway:
The evolution of international law is integral to understanding how global governance operates across diverse actors and issues.
Chapter 3: The diffusion of power (Michael Barnett and Raymond Duvall)
Core question: How do international organizations enable, constrain, and diffuse power among actors?
Mechanisms through which IOs influence power:
Reinforcing status quo power relations among member states when aligned with dominant interests.
Diffusing power to a broader set of state and non-state actors through institutions, standards, and access channels.
Conceptual contribution:
IOs are not just instruments of powerful states; they can act as progressive forces that broaden the capacity to shape outcomes and govern collectively.
Link to theoretical traditions:
The chapter sets up the groundwork for later discussions of different theoretical lenses on IOs and global governance by showing how power is understood across schools of thought.
Practical implications:
The diffusion of power helps explain why non-state actors (NGOs, civil society, firms) can influence agenda-setting, policy design, and implementation.
Illustrative idea:
An IO could mediate a climate agreement by giving voice to smaller states and non-state actors while still respecting the interests of major powers.
Chapter 4: The diffusion of authority (David Held)
Core aim: To analyze how authority is dispersed across a global governance system beyond IOs alone.
Scope of diffusion:
Includes international organizations, transnational networks, and a range of actors shaping global governance.
Key tension:
Diffusion introduces constraint on state power and can curb illegitimate exercises of power, yet sovereignty remains a major hurdle for achieving wide-ranging agendas, notably on climate change.
Analytical takeaway:
Even in complex, multi-actor, multilayered governance, state sovereignty remains a central constraint on the realization of many global governance goals.
Practical implications:
Policymaking and enforcement require coordination across diverse actors, balancing legitimacy, accountability, and effectiveness.
Chapter 5: Who governs the globe? (Susan K. Sell)
Central question: Identify the governors of the global system and the actors capable of exercising cross-border power.
Focus on agents and their roles:
Agents across borders who can set agendas, influence policy, establish rules, and implement programs.
Evaluation and adjudication of outcomes depend on institutional arrangements and legitimacy mechanisms.
Important caveat:
Despite diverse actors and capabilities, governance is not the monopoly of any single actor or group.
Major powers often ignore the need for broad, inclusive governance, underscoring the limits of any one actor.
Representation, accountability, and legitimacy:
The pathways to legitimacy are not straightforward; different actors have varying degrees of representation and accountability in global governance.
Takeaway:
Governance is a distributed process involving multiple actors with overlapping powers and responsibilities; no single actor can govern alone.
Cross-cutting connections across Chapter 1–5
Incrementalism and acceleration:
Global governance emerges from small, technical steps that compound into broad regulatory and legal architectures.
The role of IOs within power dynamics:
IOs can consolidate power structures or democratize influence by enabling broader participation.
Law, power, and authority interact:
International law provides norms and rules; power translates those into enforceable outcomes; authority reflects who is recognized as legitimate to govern.
Multi-actor and multi-level governance:
Governance operates across states, firms, NGOs, and civil society at local, regional, and global levels.
Sovereignty as a persistent obstacle and enabler:
Sovereignty constrains some actions (e.g., climate action) but also legitimizes those who operate within recognized norms and rules.
Where to now? (Guidance from the editors)
Essential readings for understanding IOs and global governance:
Murphy (Chapter 1) provides foundational context on the emergence and incremental development of global governance.
Ku (Chapter 2) offers a comprehensive view of the international legal system’s evolution since 1648.
Barnett and Duvall (Chapter 3) connect power dynamics with IOs and set the stage for theoretical discussions in Part III.
Held (Chapter 4) broadens the frame to diffusion of authority across a network of actors.
Sell (Chapter 5) foregrounds the question of governance and the identities of those who govern.
Practical pathways:
For learners pressed for time, start with Ku and Barnett & Duvall to gain core constructs quickly.
Then read Murphy and Held for broader historical and theoretical contexts.
Finish with Sell to understand governance dynamics and representation challenges.
Suggested broader engagement:
After these chapters, explore an expanding list of theoretical traditions in Part III to understand different analytic lenses on IOs and global governance.
Notable references and terms to remember
Inter-imperial world: the 19th-century context where colonial powers shaped early IO-like processes.
Creeping global governance: slow, often technical, standard-setting that enables broader governance.
Common chemical and electrical units: concrete examples of technical standards that facilitated market expansion.
Transnational associations: networks spanning borders dealing with working conditions and labor issues.
UN system: a major postwar institutionalization of global governance.
Post-Westphalian international law: evolution from strictly interstate law to a multivariate system.
The multivariate incarnation of today’s global governance: diverse actors and mechanisms beyond traditional states.
Key dates and milestones to remember:
The 1648 Treaty of Westphalia as a turning point in the development of international law and state practice.
World War II as a catalyst for a step-change in world order and the emergence of the UN system.
Ethical and practical implications:
Balancing sovereignty with global responsibilities; ensuring legitimacy and accountability across multiple actors; managing power diffusion without eroding state sovereignty.
Connections to broader themes in the course
Foundational questions about the nature of power and legitimacy in global governance.
How different theoretical frameworks interpret the role of IOs in shaping state behavior and non-state actor influence.
The ongoing tension between universal principles (human rights, peace) and sovereign interests in policy implementation.
Real-world relevance: understanding contemporary debates on climate policy, global health, trade rules, and humanitarian governance through the lens of incremental governance and power diffusion.
Quick glossary for exam readiness
IO: International Organization
Global governance: the range of ideas, norms, rules, and institutions that attempt to manage global affairs across borders.
Inter-imperial world: the 19th-century context of colonial powers shaping early international cooperation via standards and trade.
Creeping governance: gradual establishment of norms and standards that underpin broader regulatory regimes.
Diffusion of power/authority: the process by which power or governing capacity spreads beyond traditional state actors to a wider set of participants.
Legitimacy: the perceived rightfulness of an actor to govern or regulate, essential for compliance and effectiveness.
Multivariate law: a legal framework that incorporates states, non-state actors, and transnational networks.
Summary at-a-glance
Global governance has deep historical roots in incremental, cross-border standard-setting and civil society action, not only postwar optimism.
International law has evolved into a dynamic, multialigned regime that mediates state behavior and supports broader social aims.
IOs can both consolidate power and diffuse it, enabling broader participation while maintaining core power structures.
Authority in global governance is dispersed across many actors, yet sovereignty remains a central constraint for ambitious actions, particularly on climate change.
The governance of the globe is a distributed enterprise involving states, organizations, networks, and individuals, with legitimacy and accountability as ongoing challenges.