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Your Place or Mine? Institutional Capture and the Creation of Overlapping International Institutions

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  • Urpelainen, Johannes
  • Van de Graaf, Thijs

Abstract

Why do states create overlapping international institutions? This practice presents a puzzle: conventional wisdom suggests that states should use existing institutions to minimize the transaction costs of co-operation. This article proposes a bargaining approach to explain the de novo creation of overlapping international institutions. In this model, a dissatisfied ‘challenger’ state threatens to create a new institution, and a ‘defender’ state can propose to reform the currently focal institution. Overlapping institutions are created when the currently focal institution is (1) captured by interests opposed to the challenger and (2) domestic political pressure to abandon the status quo is intense. Similar to models of deterrence, the expectation that the new institution garners support among third parties is irrelevant for the equilibrium likelihood of de novo creation. A comparative analysis of international bargaining over energy, whaling and intellectual property rights provides empirical evidence.

Suggested Citation

  • Urpelainen, Johannes & Van de Graaf, Thijs, 2015. "Your Place or Mine? Institutional Capture and the Creation of Overlapping International Institutions," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 45(4), pages 799-827, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:bjposi:v:45:y:2015:i:04:p:799-827_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Justus Dreyling, 2021. "Institutional Complexity and Opportunity Structures: Weaker Actor Influence in International Intellectual Property Regulation," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S4), pages 37-46, May.
    2. Jho, Whasun & Kim, Youngwan, 2022. "Regime complexity and state competition over Global Internet Governance," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2).
    3. Yoram Z. Haftel & Stephanie C. Hofmann, 2019. "Rivalry and Overlap: Why Regional Economic Organizations Encroach on Security Organizations," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 63(9), pages 2180-2206, October.
    4. Lucia Quaglia & Aneta Spendzharova, 2022. "Regime complexity and managing financial data streams: The orchestration of trade reporting for derivatives," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(2), pages 588-602, April.
    5. repec:bla:glopol:v:8:y:2017:i::p:85-95 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Ryan Brutger & Richard Clark, 2023. "At what cost? Power, payments, and public support of international organizations," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 431-465, July.
    7. Manuel Becker, 2019. "When public principals give up control over private agents: The new independence of ICANN in internet governance," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(4), pages 561-576, December.
    8. Mette Eilstrup-Sangiovanni & Oliver Westerwinter, 2022. "The global governance complexity cube: Varieties of institutional complexity in global governance," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 233-262, April.
    9. Zürn, Michael & Faude, Benjamin & Kreuder-Sonnen, Christian, 2018. "Overlapping spheres of authority and interface conflicts in the global order: Introducing a DFG research group," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Global Governance SP IV 2018-103, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    10. Eugenia Baroncelli, 2021. "Cooperating Through Competition: EU Challenge and Support to the World Bank Focality in Multilateral Development Finance," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S4), pages 80-89, May.
    11. Klaus H. Goetz & Ronny Patz & Bernhard Reinsberg, 2017. "Trust Funds as a Lever of Influence at International Development Organizations," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 8(s5), pages 85-95, August.

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