Stability and change in international policy-making: A punctuated equilibrium approach

Abstract

International organizations (IOs) have developed into important policy venues beyond the state. Yet our understanding of the broader dynamics of IO policy-making is limited. This article offers the first comparative analysis of macro patterns in IO policy-making. Theoretically, we draw on punctuated equilibrium theory to develop hypotheses about stability and change in the orientation of IO policy agendas. Empirically, we examine novel data on the policy output of five generalpurpose IOs between 1980 and 2015, combining statistical analysis and comparative case illustrations. The analysis yields two central results. First, the policy agendas of all five IOs display patterns of punctuated equilibria, with longer periods of stability interrupted by shorter periods of dramatic change. Second, the level of institutional friction in decision-making contributes to variation in punctuations across IOs and within IOs over time. The results suggest four broader implications: (1) punctuated equilibrium theory applies to a broader empirical domain than previously thought; (2) patterns of change in IOs are more complex than conventionally expected; (3) institutional friction matters for IOs' responsiveness to societal demands and problem pressures; and (4) deeper integration of punctuated equilibrium theory into the study of IOs can pave the way for a promising IR research agenda.Rev Int Organ

Talk is not cheap: Policy agendas, information processing, and the unusually proportional nature of European Central Bank communications policy responses

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Shaming by international organizations: Mapping condemnatory speech acts across 27 international organizations, 1980–2015

“…Non-specified targets cover instances where shaming is directed against an activity or phenomenon in general, without attributing culpability (at least not in clear terms) to a specific target. We specify action based on a list of global governance topic codes previously developed (for details see Lundgren et al, 2018). The list covers 18 major policy topics, such as human rights and security, and more than a hundred more specific sub-topics.…”

Learning from the Commission case: The comparative study of management change in international public administrations

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