Global Policymaking
The Patchwork of Global Governance

This book provides a new theoretical framework for the study of global governance and applies it to three vital United Nations global policies.

Vincent Pouliot (Author), Jean-Philippe Thérien (Author)

9781009344951, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 March 2023

312 pages, 1 b/w illus. 12 tables
23.5 x 15.5 x 2 cm, 0.62 kg

'Pouliot and Thérien's book challenges conventional wisdom and offers a thought-provoking exploration of global governance. By introducing the concept of political bricolage, the authors offer a novel perspective on the improvisational and haphazard nature of global governance, and provides a more nuanced understanding of the complexities of global policymaking. Their concept of political bricolage and detailed case studies offer a comprehensive understanding of the complexities inherent in global governance. It will help scholars, students, and practitioners gain deeper insights into the politics of global governance and the challenges of crafting effective global policies.' Zheng Chen, China International Strategy Review

This book analyzes the politics of global governance by looking at how global policymaking actually works. It provides a comprehensive theoretical and methodological framework which is systematically applied to the study of three global policies drawn from recent UN activities: the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, the institutionalization of the Human Rights Council from 2005 onwards, and the ongoing promotion of the protection of civilians in peace operations. By unpacking the practices and the values that have prevailed in these three cases, the authors demonstrate how global policymaking forms a patchwork pervaded by improvisation and social conflict. They also show how global governance embodies a particular vision of the common good at the expense of alternative perspectives. The book will appeal to students and scholars of global governance, international organizations and global policy studies.

Introduction: the politics of global governance
1. Global policymaking: from public goods to bricolage
2. The making of global policies: analytical framework and methodology
3. The sustainable development goals: planning without a blueprint
4. The Human Rights Council: institution-building by doing
5. The protection of civilians: policymaking by fits and starts
6. Key Trends in the Making of Global Policies: A Comparative Synthesis
Conclusion: grasping the patchwork of global governance.

Subject Areas: International relations [JPS]