Why Structures matter - Theoretical considerations and Empirical Evidence on Global Knowledge Asymmetries

In the aftermath of the financial crisis, newspapers and pundits point to an accelerating global power shift. Bookshelves are overflowing from bestsellers that often gloomy foresee the inevitable rise of a variety of emerging countries at the expense of the traditional industrialized, in particular European, nations. But do we really have sound empirical evidence that proves those doomsday predictions legitimizing a growing fear of a “Western” demise? In this paper we argue, taking the global knowledge structure as a prominent and instructive example, that the occurrence of shifting flows such as in production, trade, and investments is not complemented by an alteration of underlying structural conditions. Many structural layers remain virtually unchanged. Theoretically, our argument draws from the work of Susan Strange and other scholars that emphasize path-dependency as central feature of international “power” due to the existence of structures. Unfortunately, in the last 25 years very little empirical research has been carried out about “structures” in this sense. So, updating and enhancing earlier approaches and eliminating some of their obvious limitations, this paper aims to develop a set of consistent theoretical propositions about the global knowledge structure. In addition we will present systematic evidence for the duration of asymmetries in terms of structural knowledge power that almost certainly will shape international affairs and the distribution wealth during the next decades. For the purpose of measuring the phenomenon of the global knowledge structure and its effects, a number of indicators functioning as proxies are selected. The respective results are visualized and discussed both individually and in form of a composite index that allows for international comparisons. In brief, based on theorizing and empirical illustrations we hold that “structures” do greatly matter for international politics. They should become not only a strong focus of further research attention, but also inform public debates and political decision making.