Historical institutionalism and international relations : explaining institutional development in world politics

Abstract

This book argues that Historical Institutionalism (HI)--an analytical approach so far mostly applied within comparative politics--is particularly well suited for understanding the dynamics of international institutional development over time. It is the first book to collect original, empirical research applying Historical Institutionalism to international institutions. The introduction provides a new, systematic conceptualization of institutional change and stability and shows how the analytical tools of HI can be used to understand patterns of institutional change within largely stable institutions. The chapters cover a range of issues important to International Relations, including the development of European Union competition policy, the global politics of financial reform after the 2008 crisis, the institutional development of the World Health Organization, membership reforms in the League of Nations and the United Nations Security Council, policy change at the International Monetary Fund, and civil society access to intergovernmental organizations. The conclusion discusses the relationship of HI to other institutionalist approaches and HI's potential for future International Relations research.