International Institutions and Policy Diffusion: Sources – Mechanisms - Impact

This session analyses the impact of international institutions on policy diffusion. Policy diffusion is the subsequent adoption of policies by different actors, governments or organizations, supported by different voluntary or coercive mechanisms. Despite a growing literature on diffusion, little is known about the role international institutions play in this process and how they can trigger diffusion process across countries and regions. Starting from this account, the workshop explores this link, applying a broad notion of international institutions that encompass international organizations, international regimes, and networks. Diffusion effects will be examined on the global, regional, national and subnational level, taking into account the many linkages that international institutions have among themselves and other actors. The workshop is conceptualized as a forum for exchange on the link between international institutions and policy diffusion. We welcome scholar from international relations, comparative politics and other research fields who carry out empirical research in this area. Papers should fall in one of the three categories: sources of diffusion, mechanisms of diffusion, and impact of diffusion. In any of these fields, we are open to a variety of research methods, both qualitative and quantitative. However, given the aim to present empirical research results, a basic restriction is that conceptual papers and papers without empirical work are less likely to be accepted.