Power, Knowledge and Resistance: Between Co-optation and Revolution in Global Trade

TY - JOUR

T1 - Power, Knowledge and Resistance

T2 - Between Co-optation and Revolution in Global Trade

AU - Hannah, Erin

AU - Ryan, Holly

AU - Scott, James

PY - 2017/5/19

Y1 - 2017/5/19

N2 - It has been recognised that the process of multilateral trade negotiations has been fundamentally altered by the increased involvement of NGOs since the Uruguay Round. NGOs have helped to increase the voice of the developing world, nullify some of the asymmetries in political power vis-à-vis the rich world, and provide trade analysis to bolster participation. What is less recognised is the growing importance of certain International Governmental Organisations (IGOs) that provide demand driven advocacy through the provision of knowledge and expertise to developing states that, at times, challenges the dominant neoliberal agenda at the WTO. Unlike NGOs, many of these organisations are able to hold observer status on WTO Committees and write member state submissions. Yet, ideologically and in terms of their specific capacity-building functions, these organisations are also distinct from other IGOs operating in the area of global trade. Through everyday actions, ‘insider’ IGOs such as the South Centre and UNCTAD undertake work that redresses imbalances of power in global economic governance and transforms the ‘common sense’ underlying trade practices. In this paper, we develop a set of ideal types aimed at unpacking and illuminating the variegated degrees and types of ‘resistance’ exercised within the international trade system.

AB - It has been recognised that the process of multilateral trade negotiations has been fundamentally altered by the increased involvement of NGOs since the Uruguay Round. NGOs have helped to increase the voice of the developing world, nullify some of the asymmetries in political power vis-à-vis the rich world, and provide trade analysis to bolster participation. What is less recognised is the growing importance of certain International Governmental Organisations (IGOs) that provide demand driven advocacy through the provision of knowledge and expertise to developing states that, at times, challenges the dominant neoliberal agenda at the WTO. Unlike NGOs, many of these organisations are able to hold observer status on WTO Committees and write member state submissions. Yet, ideologically and in terms of their specific capacity-building functions, these organisations are also distinct from other IGOs operating in the area of global trade. Through everyday actions, ‘insider’ IGOs such as the South Centre and UNCTAD undertake work that redresses imbalances of power in global economic governance and transforms the ‘common sense’ underlying trade practices. In this paper, we develop a set of ideal types aimed at unpacking and illuminating the variegated degrees and types of ‘resistance’ exercised within the international trade system.

KW - resistance

KW - trade

KW - UNCTAD

KW - South Centre

U2 - 10.1080/09692290.2017.1324807

DO - 10.1080/09692290.2017.1324807

M3 - Article

SN - 0969-2290

VL - 24

SP - 741

EP - 775

JO - REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY

JF - REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY

IS - 5

ER -