Institutionalism in international relations
Encyclopedia
Institutionalism in international relations comprises a group of differing theories on international relations (IR). Functionalist
and neofunctionalist
approaches, regime theory
, and state cartel theory
have in common their focus on the structures of the international system, but they substantially differ in the way they precede.
is the oldest institutional theory of IR. Mitrany suggested that slim ‘functional agencies’ should organize the needs of cooperation among even conflicting states. The neofunctionalism
and the communitarian method of Jean Monnet
advocated the principle of supranationality: international bodies superordinated to the nation states should administer the common interests. The functionalist approaches have been often criticized to be idealistic and normative in their positive view on international institutions.
Regimes are institutions or rules that determine the decision-making process. In the international arena, institution has been used interchangeably with regime, which has been defined by Krasner
as a set of explicit or implicit "principles, norms, rules, and decision-making procedures around which actors expectations converge in a given issue-area."
Regime theorists hold a wide array of beliefs stemming from the central proposition that regimes as international institutions "matter" in answering the question, what explains a particular outcome? There are four reasons for this:
They structure choices,
they provide incentives,
they distribute power and
they define identities and roles.
imported its terminology from the classical cartel theory of economic enterprises and thus is much more concrete than regime theory. On the field of international relations nation states are searching advantages by cooperation or by fighting out conflicts. But from a certain degree both of the compaction of international (economic) relations and of the development of military technology
war discards more and more as a method of conflict. Now the states have to get along with each other, and hence they cartelize more and more issues of their politics in international institutions. Like in enterprise cartels the members’ assembly is always the main institution of the combinations: the respective council of ministers or delegates, e.g. the Council of the European Union
. All further institutions are the result of the will and the needs of the members and have serving functions (secretary, operative commissions, arbitration board), e.g. European Commission
and European Court
.
Rational institutionalists also regard institutions as themselves being rationally chosen by actors who view the rules as facilitating the pursuit of their goals. For example, the institutional decision-making rules of the European Union
are such that the largest states can structure political outcomes.
school believes that institutional factors account for differences in cross-national political outcomes. There are two elements:
Theda Skocpol
's work illustrates an example of historical institutionalism. Responses to the Great Depression
of the 1930s differed greatly between Sweden
and the United Kingdom
, which had similar problems in terms of severity and duration. The two countries responded with vastly different policies due to differences in existing domestic institutional structures.
in his 1979 book, Theory of International Politics. Waltz argues in favor of a systemic realist approach: the international structure acts as a constraint on state behavior, so that different states behave in a similar rational manner, and outcomes fall within an expected range.
s (economic, strategic, etc.), rather than relative gain
s to other nation-states. Since their approach tends to emphasize the possibility of mutual wins, they are interested in institutions which can arrange jointly profitable arrangements and compromises.
Functionalism in international relations
Functionalism is a theory of international relations that arose during the inter-War period principally from the strong concern about the obsolescence of the State as a form of social organization...
and neofunctionalist
Neofunctionalism
Neofunctionalism is a theory of regional integration, building on the work of Ernst B. Haas, an American political scientist and also Leon Lindberg, an American political scientist...
approaches, regime theory
Regime theory
Regime theory is a theory within international relations derived from the liberal tradition that argues that international institutions or regimes affect the behavior of states...
, and state cartel theory
State cartel theory
State cartel theory is a new concept in the field of International Relations theory and belongs to the group of institutionalist approaches. Up to now the theory has mainly been specified with regard to the European Union , but could be made much more general...
have in common their focus on the structures of the international system, but they substantially differ in the way they precede.
Functionalist approaches
The functional theory of David MitranyDavid Mitrany
David Mitrany was a Romanian-born, naturalized British scholar, historian and political theorist. The richest source of information concerning Mitrany’s life and intellectual activity are the memoirs he published in 1975 in The Functional Theory of Politics.-Professional life:Mitrany worked on...
is the oldest institutional theory of IR. Mitrany suggested that slim ‘functional agencies’ should organize the needs of cooperation among even conflicting states. The neofunctionalism
Neofunctionalism
Neofunctionalism is a theory of regional integration, building on the work of Ernst B. Haas, an American political scientist and also Leon Lindberg, an American political scientist...
and the communitarian method of Jean Monnet
Jean Monnet
Jean Omer Marie Gabriel Monnet was a French political economist and diplomat. He is regarded by many as a chief architect of European Unity and is regarded as one of its founding fathers...
advocated the principle of supranationality: international bodies superordinated to the nation states should administer the common interests. The functionalist approaches have been often criticized to be idealistic and normative in their positive view on international institutions.
Regime theory
Regime theory holds that the international system is not—in practice—anarchic, but that it has an implicit or explicit structure which determines how states will act within the system.Regimes are institutions or rules that determine the decision-making process. In the international arena, institution has been used interchangeably with regime, which has been defined by Krasner
Stephen D. Krasner
Stephen Krasner is an international relations professor at Stanford University and is the former Director of Policy Planning at the United States Department of State, a position he held from 2005 until April 2007 while on leave from Stanford...
as a set of explicit or implicit "principles, norms, rules, and decision-making procedures around which actors expectations converge in a given issue-area."
Regime theorists hold a wide array of beliefs stemming from the central proposition that regimes as international institutions "matter" in answering the question, what explains a particular outcome? There are four reasons for this:
They structure choices,
they provide incentives,
they distribute power and
they define identities and roles.
State cartel theory
State cartel theoryState cartel theory
State cartel theory is a new concept in the field of International Relations theory and belongs to the group of institutionalist approaches. Up to now the theory has mainly been specified with regard to the European Union , but could be made much more general...
imported its terminology from the classical cartel theory of economic enterprises and thus is much more concrete than regime theory. On the field of international relations nation states are searching advantages by cooperation or by fighting out conflicts. But from a certain degree both of the compaction of international (economic) relations and of the development of military technology
Military technology
Military technology is the collection of equipment, vehicles, structures and communication systems that are designed for use in warfare. It comprises the kinds of technology that are distinctly military in nature and not civilian in application, usually because they are impractical in civilian...
war discards more and more as a method of conflict. Now the states have to get along with each other, and hence they cartelize more and more issues of their politics in international institutions. Like in enterprise cartels the members’ assembly is always the main institution of the combinations: the respective council of ministers or delegates, e.g. the Council of the European Union
Council of the European Union
The Council of the European Union is the institution in the legislature of the European Union representing the executives of member states, the other legislative body being the European Parliament. The Council is composed of twenty-seven national ministers...
. All further institutions are the result of the will and the needs of the members and have serving functions (secretary, operative commissions, arbitration board), e.g. European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
and European Court
European Court
European Court could mean:* the European Court of Justice , an institution of the European Union for the resolution of disputes under EU law, based in Luxembourg....
.
Rational choice institutionalism
This school attempts to explain collective choices by rational actors. Outcomes are a product of the interaction between actor preferences and institutional rules.Rational institutionalists also regard institutions as themselves being rationally chosen by actors who view the rules as facilitating the pursuit of their goals. For example, the institutional decision-making rules of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
are such that the largest states can structure political outcomes.
Historical institutionalism
The historical institutionalismHistorical institutionalism
Historical institutionalism is a social science method that uses institutions in order to find sequences of social, political, economic behavior and change across time...
school believes that institutional factors account for differences in cross-national political outcomes. There are two elements:
- Institutions could shape actor preferences by structuring incentives, redistributing power, and by influencing the cultural context.
- History is "path dependent." Choices or events early in the process can force a path from which it becomes increasingly difficult to deviate.
Theda Skocpol
Theda Skocpol
Theda Skocpol is an American sociologist and political scientist at Harvard University. She served from 2005 to 2007 as Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. She is influential in sociology as an advocate of the historical-institutional and comparative approaches, and well-known in...
's work illustrates an example of historical institutionalism. Responses to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the 1930s differed greatly between Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, which had similar problems in terms of severity and duration. The two countries responded with vastly different policies due to differences in existing domestic institutional structures.
Neorealism
Neorealism, or structural realism, is a theory of international relations, outlined by Kenneth WaltzKenneth Waltz
Kenneth Neal Waltz is a member of the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University and one of the most prominent scholars of international relations alive today...
in his 1979 book, Theory of International Politics. Waltz argues in favor of a systemic realist approach: the international structure acts as a constraint on state behavior, so that different states behave in a similar rational manner, and outcomes fall within an expected range.
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism refers to a school of thought which believes that nation-states are, or at least should be, concerned first and foremost with absolute gainAbsolute gain (International Relations)
As a part of liberal international relations theory, absolute gain is a term used to describe how states will act in the international community. The theory says that international actors will look at the total effect of a decision on the state or organization and act accordingly...
s (economic, strategic, etc.), rather than relative gain
Relative gain (international relations)
Relative gain, in international relations, describes the actions of states only in respect to power balances and without regard to other factors, such as economics. In international relations, cooperation may be necessary to balance power, but concern for relative gains will limit that cooperation...
s to other nation-states. Since their approach tends to emphasize the possibility of mutual wins, they are interested in institutions which can arrange jointly profitable arrangements and compromises.
See also
- International relations theoryInternational relations theoryInternational relations theory is the study of international relations from a theoretical perspective; it attempts to provide a conceptual framework upon which international relations can be analyzed. Ole Holsti describes international relations theories act as a pair of coloured sunglasses,...
- InstitutionalismInstitutionalismInstitutionalism can refer to:* Old Institutionalism: An approach to the study of politics that focuses on formal institutions of government* New institutionalism: a social theory that focuses on developing a sociological view of institutions, the way they interact and the effects of institutions...
- International legal theory