Dr Ranjit Lall’s book proposes new theory for why international institutions fail and succeed
DPIR Associate Professor in International Relations Dr Ranjit Lall has published a new book, Making International Institutions Work: The Politics of Performance, with Cambridge University Press. The book proposes a new theory of institutional performance and tests it using a diverse array of sources and data.
Contrary to the stereotype of international institutions as ineffective ‘runaway bureaucracies,’ it is individual countries with their own narrow political interests that are the greatest threat to successful institutional performance.
Only when institutions possess a high degree of policy autonomy vis-à-vis governments, which emerges when they forge strong alliances with nonstate actors and exercise discreet governance tasks, are they likely to consistently 'work,' he suggests.
Dr Lall's book, which originated from his doctoral research and has been in development for the past decade, provides a mixture of quantitative and qualitative evidence for his theory:
- The quantitative component draws on the Performance of International Institutions Project, the most comprehensive dataset on performance of international institutions assembled to date.
- Analysis of this dataset is complemented by in-depth cases studies of several major institutions in the sample, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr Lall hopes to enhance collective understanding of international cooperation, public goods, and organisational behaviour while offering practical lessons to policymakers, NGOs, businesses, and citizens interested in improving institutional effectiveness. He comments:
"Making International Institutions Work suggests a variety of strategies for stakeholders to expand and sustain institutional autonomy over the long run.
The findings suggest that, only by preventing powerful member states from ‘capturing’ international institutions for narrow foreign policy ends, can we ensure institutional effectiveness.
These institutions are essential for tackling many of the most urgent challenges facing the world, from pandemics to humanitarian crises. Making sure that they ‘work’ is therefore critical to improving the human condition."
Book launch: Tuesday 16 May
Book launch: Tuesday 16 May
Book launch: Tuesday 16 May
Audiences are invited to find out more about Dr Lall’s original research at his book launch on Tuesday 16 May at 4:30pm at Nuffield College. He will be joined in discussion with Professors Joseph Stiglitz, Raj Chetty and Duncan Snidal.
