Regimes pertain to delineated areas of rule-governed activity in international relations, such as implicit or explicit principles, norms, rules and procedures governing expectations among actors. While the international system is anarchic without a central ruler, regimes help bring order and facilitate cooperation to address global problems. Regime characteristics include their strength, scope, organizational form and allocation mode. Different regime types are defined by levels of formality and the degree of convergence among actor expectations. The emergence and effectiveness of regimes can be studied through structural, game-theoretic, functional and cognitive approaches. Regimes help manage globalization by changing how states interact and their interests.

1. r e g i m e s

2. • Regularized Behavior?
• Cooperation?
• Set of Rules?
• Institution/Organization?
• Order?
What is a regime?

3. • In its broadest sense, regimes pertain to
“delineated areas of rule-governed
activity.” (Little, 1997)
• More concretely, regimes are “implicit or
explicit principles, norms, rules and
decision-making procedures around which
actors’ expectations converge in a given
area of international relations.” (Krasner,
1983)
Defining regimes

4. • Although the international system is
anarchic it is not anomic. (Little, 1997)
• Anarchy: pertains not to the absence of
order but the absence of a ruler.
• Anomie: pertains to the absence of
established norms.
• Further, dominant perspectives on the
international system (e.g. realism) cannot
explain international cooperation.
Why study regimes?

5. The solution to global/international problems
entails some degree of interaction within the
international system:
• Coordination problems
• Commons problems
• Problems related to core values
The need for regimes

6. • Strength
- The degree of compliance with regime
injunctions.
• Scope
- A regime’s jurisdiction in terms of the issue
areas it addresses.
• Organizational Form
- Regime structure
• Allocation Mode
- The method of distributing resources
within a regime.
Regime characteristics

7. Multi-/
Bi-Lateral
Regional
Global
Types of regimes (1)

8. Convergence of Expectations
Low High
High
Dead-Letter Full-Blown
Regime Regime
Formality
Low No Regime Tacit Regime
Source: Little, 1997
Types of regimes (2)

9. Responses to Global/International Concerns
States take no action; other entities define the norms/
Non-state action procedures in response to the issue in question.
States address issues unilaterally via national
Internal Control policies.
Mutual Reciprocal recognition of national policies between
Recognition states.
States defer to international agreements negotiated
Source: Coglianese, 2000
Consensual Rules with other states.
States delegate policy authority to international
Delegation institutions.
Withdrawal States defer completely to international institutions.
Types of regimes (3)

10. Approaches to the Study of Regimes
APPROAC FEATURES LIMITATIONS
• Seeks to explain how international (With respect to HST:)
conditions affect possibilities of • It is difficult to infer interests from
Structural cooperation. capabilities.
(e.g. Hegemonic Stability Theory) • Cannot explain multipolarity.
• Examines how cooperation can be • Oversimplification.
achieved in the absence of a supra- • It is difficult to precisely define
Game- national actor to enforce what the game is.
theoretic compliance. • Cannot determine when a regime
• Identifies the conditions that often will come about.
result in cooperation.
• Explains what regimes do (i.e. the • Cannot account for why some
functions they perform). regimes arise while others do not.
Functional • Accounts for the persistence of • Does not explain to what extent
certain regimes. state behavior is influenced by
regimes.
• Explains the substantive content • Interprets regime formation post
that regimes possess. hoc.
Cognitive • Emphasize the perceptions, • It is difficult to isolate the
ideologies and learning that affect influence of perception, ideologies
regimes. and learning.
Approaches

11. • Regimes are one means through which the
international system is “governed”.
• By changing the setting within which states
interact, they increase the probability of
interaction between them.
• They can also alter the interests and
preferences of agents within the
international system.
• Consequently, regimes help manage the
pace and effects of globalization.
Do regimes matter?

12. When do regimes
come about?
Why one type of
regime and not
another?