Reshaping the Liberal Order: Strategies of Contestation and Change

Session Submission Type: Full Paper Panel

Session Description

Although it has been lauded, the liberal system of rules and institutions that currently underpin international relations is far from being universally endorsed. It is often under threat from various sources, ranging from populism, the rise of powerful countries with different ideas for the organization of global governance, and new battlefields that divide societies and threaten established norms (e.g., Lake, Martin, Risse 2021). Such dynamics pose a threat to what has been characterized as an entrenched and resilient liberal order (Ikenberry 2011).

Inspired by this literature, this panel will aspire to tackle several questions related to the concept of contested multilateralism, or strategies that challenge the practices, missions, or value orientations of multilateral institutions (Morse and Keohane 2014). First, what are the strategies of contestation within the liberal order? Second, when are these actions likely to lead to changes within institutions, and alternatively, when are institutions more likely to remain fixed and resilient to change? What impact does contestation have on the resilience and legitimacy of international organizations (IOs) and liberalism more broadly?

Addressing the initial query of the panel, various contributors analyze the dynamics of transformation. The research by Jackson and Lipscy introduces a new index to measure state influence within institutions, providing new perspectives on the interplay of power in international relations and contested multilateralism. Other forces of change occur from staffing and IO policies. A question under consideration is the role of IO leaders: do they serve as pillars of stability or as catalysts for change? The research conducted by Fung and Lam delves into this issue by scrutinizing the shifts in the landscape of IO staffing, and considering whether the composition and orientation of personnel could significantly influence the trajectory of an organization. Beyond the realm of leadership and staffing, another dimension of transformation may be unintended. A study on this aspect is presented by Donno, Kern, and Reinsberg, which hones in on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a case study. This paper examines the unintended impact of IO policies, with a special focus on their implications for women’s rights.

Other papers on the panel consider the efficacy of efforts to shape IOs by focusing on China’s rise. How do rising powers attempt to gain acceptance of alternative ideologies and visions of order and when are these strategies successful (Ikenberry and Kupchan 1990)? Hulvey’s paper describes China’s strategies for shaping the liberal international information order governing the internet using the case of China’s World Internet Conference. She presents a theory of discourse power and identifies when messaging strategies influence decisions to join China’s newly formed international organization. Furthermore, Takahashi's investigation assesses China's strategy concerning economic resolutions within the United Nations General Assembly, formulating a theory that emphasizes the disparities in power between China and the Global South as a factor shaping China’s strategy.

Sub Unit

• Division 17: International Collaboration

Cosponsor

• Division 43: International History and Politics

Individual Presentations

• Gendered Taxation: IMF Tax Advice and the Disempowerment of Women - Andreas Kern, Georgetown University; Daniela Donno, University of Oklahoma; Bernhard Reinsberg, University of Glasgow

• Taking Off for Marketization: China’s Initiatives on Economic Resolutions - Tomoko Takahashi, Kyoto University

• Discourse Power: China's Tactics for Building Rival Global Institutions - Rachel A Hulvey, University of Pennsylvania

• The Rise and Fall of Nations in an Institutionalized World Order - Taylor Jackson, University of Toronto; Phillip Y. Lipscy, University of Toronto

• Personnel Power Shift? China’s Representation in the UN Civil Service - Shing-hon Lam, University of California, Los Angeles; Courtney Fung, University of Hong Kong

Chair

• Christina Davis Harvard University

Discussants

• Francesca Parente Christopher Newport University

• Julia C. Morse University of California, Santa Barbara