IOs and the Technical Communities In The Internet Governance Institutional Complex: Strategies and Perspectives

While the term ‘multistakeholderism’ has become one of the most commonly used words in Internet governance (IG) studies, only three main categories of stakeholders are almost always highlighted in IG arenas: Governments, Businesses, and Civil Society. However, initial findings from our two-year transatlantic research project show that Intergovernmental Organizations (IOs) also are crafting roles for themselves as IG actors and details their strategies for engaging in this multistakeholder arena. This paper focuses on the Technical communities - composed of organizations such as ICANN, ISOC, and other bodies primarily dedicated to the technical management of the Internet - as another IG actor, and its interaction with IOs. Using a framework from political science, communication theory, and organizational sociology, it analyzes (with interview, observational, and archival data) the emergence of this stakeholder, its strategic interactions with IOs, and highlights new trends of the Global Internet Governance institutionalization.