|
|
|
Executive Summary This research program explores the role of transnational actors in the democratization of global governance. More specifically, the program addresses three scholarly themes: (1) transnational actors and the democratization of international institutions, (2) democracy and public-private partnerships in global governance, and (3) the democratic credentials of transnational actors. The program goes beyond existing research in three central respects. First, it integrates normative democratic theory and empirical research in a global context. In contrast to the strong emphasis on normative theory in existing research, this program pursues a dual agenda, tracing the implications of alternative models of democracy for the prospects of democratization, and exploring empirically actual attempts to democratize international institutions through transnational organization. Second, the program adopts an ambitious comparative research design. As opposed to the single-case studies that dominate existing empirical research, this program operates with a broad comparison across issue-areas, and addresses transnational organization in fields such as trade, development, human rights, security, and the environment. Third, it includes and assesses the full spectrum of transnational actors. Whereas existing studies of transnational organization in global governance tend to focus either on civil society actors or multinational corporations, we study political processes that involve both categories, and assess the democratic credentials of both categories. The program links two vivid research environments, includes researchers with strong international publication records, and has close ties to internationally leading scholars. Professor Christer Jönsson at the Department of Political Science, Lund University, serves as Program Coordinator. He is assisted by a steering committee, consisting of Jonas Tallberg, Magdalena Bexell, Ulrika Mörth and Anders Uhlin. An additional resource is the program's international advisory board with the following members:
Yale Ferguson, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ |