Weeks 4 and 5: What Works When Networks Work?

The last two weeks we have continued with looking at the institutions of global governance. In particular we looked at Anne Marie Slaughter’s idea of networks and Keck and Sikkink’s Transnational Advocacy Networks. Although they differ in their interpretation and understanding of networks in global governance, all sides agree that there are many advantages to them such as their flexibility, the fact that they can adapt quickly and draw upon the resources and experience of other actors.

A couple of interesting themes emerged from these discussions. Some in the class seemed to be more open to being less state-centric than perhaps what I felt they were before. Perhaps this is due to the fact that both theories are challenging to the state but also accommodating to it. Slaughter’s work is quite clearly tied to the state, even if it is a disaggregated version of it. And transnational advocacy networks, although based on advocacy that is often in opposition to the state, can (as the case of the Ottawa Landmine Treaty shows) work very well with states. And in fact, the importance of international networks vis-à-vis states was a popular topic for discussion.

However, students seemed less interested in questions about authority and legitimacy than I would have thought. What makes networks of bureaucrats particularly democratic? Or what are the implications of civil society dominating international discourses? Perhaps, given the prior discussion in Barnett and Finnemore’s work on the possible dangers of international organizations enlarging their mandates and increasingly encroaching in on our everyday lives, there wasn’t much new to discuss. To me, however, this is one of the most disconcerting elements of contemporary global governance.

This week is the midterm – followed by reading week. Now that we have looked at the nature of globalization, sovereignty and forms of global governance, we will be applying this knowledge to more policy-focused areas, such as economics, security, the environment and social care. 

Links to Weeks 4 and 5 Power Point Presentations: (NOW WITH LESS BROKEN-Y LINK!) http://ge.tt/9RB49DY?c