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Cooperation under autonomy: Building and analyzing the Informal Intergovernmental Organizations 2.0 dataset

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  • Felicity Vabulas

    (International Studies, 5262Pepperdine University)

  • Duncan Snidal

    (Politics and International Relations, 6396University of Oxford)

Abstract

Informal intergovernmental organizations (IIGOs) such as the Proliferation Security Initiative and G20 increasingly play a central role in governing international relations. IIGOs are based on recurrent meetings among high-level state representatives but are not legalized through a treaty and have no permanent secretariat . They allow states to organize internationally without sacrificing autonomy to a supranational entity. We present the IIGO 2.0 dataset, the most comprehensive compilation of these institutions to date, and illustrate the significance of IIGOs through several key empirical findings. First, while the creation of formal IGOs (FIGOs) has plateaued, states are increasingly creating IIGOs to address critical global issues. Second, states disproportionately use IIGOs for high politics issue areas including peace, security, and political agenda-setting which challenges conventional wisdom that IGOs (intergovernmental organizations) are less relevant in the security realm. Third, IIGOs are remarkably durable. Although states could readily formalize or abandon IIGOs, they generally organize cooperation informally for long periods. Finally, IIGOs are typically smaller than FIGOs and this design choice is increasingly used by states of all levels of development, power, and region. The availability of the IIGO 2.0 dataset will promote further analysis on the growing diversity of international institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Felicity Vabulas & Duncan Snidal, 2021. "Cooperation under autonomy: Building and analyzing the Informal Intergovernmental Organizations 2.0 dataset," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 58(4), pages 859-869, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:joupea:v:58:y:2021:i:4:p:859-869
    DOI: 10.1177/0022343320943920
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Roland Vaubel, 2006. "Principal-agent problems in international organizations," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 125-138, June.
    2. Felicity Vabulas & Duncan Snidal, 2013. "Organization without delegation: Informal intergovernmental organizations (IIGOs) and the spectrum of intergovernmental arrangements," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 193-220, June.
    3. Jon CW Pevehouse & Timothy Nordstrom & Roseanne W McManus & Anne Spencer Jamison, 2020. "Tracking organizations in the world: The Correlates of War IGO Version 3.0 datasets," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 57(3), pages 492-503, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Felicity Vabulas, 2023. "Ranjit Lall. 2023. Making International Institutions Work: The Politics of Performance. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 783-787, October.
    2. Charles Roger & Sam Rowan, 2023. "The New Terrain of Global Governance: Mapping Membership in Informal International Organizations," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 67(6), pages 1248-1269, July.

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