Globalising the study of diffusion : multiple sourcesand the East African community

Abstract

A growing literature on diffusion shows that ideas, policies and institutionsoriginating in the European Union shape decision-making in other regionalorganisations (ROs). However, a research programme which claims to examineprocesses of interdependent decision-making between ROs in general cannottreat a single RO as the‘default’source of this diffusion. This paper thus (1)discusses what we term the‘multiple sources’problem in diffusion researchand (2) presents a model of institutional diffusion, which highlights theimportant role of local actors in the multiple sources scenario. Based onoriginal data collected via extensivefieldwork in East Africa, we present a casestudy on the interdependent sources behind the East African Community(EAC)’s establishment in drawing on this model. Wefind that EAC policymakersselected between, combined and modified several external institutions. Thesefindings highlight local actors’capacity for institutional innovation.