Thompson, Alexander; Snidal, Duncan --- "International Organization: Institutions and Order in World Politics" [2011] ELECD 1075; in Parisi, Francesco (ed), "Production of Legal Rules" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011)

Book Title: Production of Legal Rules

Editor(s): Parisi, Francesco

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781848440326

Section: Chapter 17

Section Title: International Organization: Institutions and Order in World Politics

Author(s): Thompson, Alexander; Snidal, Duncan

Number of pages: 28

Extract:

17 International organization: institutions and
order in world politics
Alexander Thompson and Duncan Snidal*



1. Introduction
The modern history of international organization (IO) reflects an uneven
development of both the practice and concept that go under that name. The
term is used in differing ways and we apply it to both IO conceived as formal
organizations and in a more general sense of order creation. Furthermore,
international organization includes not only interstate arrangements but,
increasingly, arrangements among non-governmental and transnational
actors. Thus, the landscape of international organizations (IOs) includes both
intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and international non-governmen-
tal organizations (INGOs). International organization is clearly a very broad
concept, which has evolved with the practice of various forms of international
governance. Our main task here is to chart the theoretical development of
understanding about IO. We emphasize approaches that are most relevant to
international law and economics, while noting important contributions and
challenges posed by alternative perspectives.
After a descriptive summary of the history and evolution of IOs, we discuss
three general conceptions of IO: as formal organization, as international ordering
principle and as international regime. We then review the theoretical literature
on IO, addressing such topics as regime theory, institutional variation and
design, compliance and effectiveness, and the role of non-state actors in global
governance. We conclude by noting that there is substantial overlap in the
interests of political scientists, law scholars and economists when it comes to
the study of IO, a confluence that is leading to ...