Staff, Status and Autonomy in International Organizations

Research on international organizations has recently devoted more systematic attention to the conditions and extent of IO autonomy. One central source for the autonomy is the bureaucratic staff’s own characteristics. Similar career patterns, homogeneous preferences, shared professional norms and a sense of group solidarity set the staff apart from other actors and give it strong capacities for autonomous action. Determining the existence or absence of these group aspects is particularly relevant if one is to assess the autonomy of international bureaucracies. The paper suggests a sociological analysis of the social cohesion and organizational culture of administrative elites in international public administrations in order to better grasp their potential for autonomous action. It starts from a Weberian understanding of “status” and outlines the characteristics of bureaucratic officials as an “occupational status group” (Berufsstand), distinguished by their professional ethics, privileged positions, practices of social closure and a particular style of life, which is expressed in a claim to social prestige. The added value of Weber’s conception is demonstrated with an empirical sketch of the EU civil service.