Course Description

As global interdependence increased in the second half of the 20th century, structures of international
and transnational governance were transformed and become ever more complex. This course provides
an introduction to governance institutions, structures, and mechanisms, as well as the actors engaged
in them. It situates global governance historically by tracing earlier attempts at regulating global affairs,
and it analyzes different contemporary settings for regulation, ranging from formal international
organizations and courts to transnational governance initiatives, informal forms of governance,
partnerships and multi-stakeholder initiatives involving both public and private actors, and global
assemblages. It explores the ways in which these different fora establish and maintain authority,
their varying relations with governments and transnational actors, and the challenges they face from
competing institutions, political mobilizations, domestic political processes, as well as litigation. The
governance of different issue domains – particularly global security and the global economy – will be
explored in detail, and the course will conclude with a comparison of different governance forms and
critical reflections on contemporary global governance.