ST-205 Institutionalism and Transnational Governance (Spring 2027)

Upon successful completion of the course the student should:

• understand the complexity of coordination and power sharing agreements between several actors in different forms of transnational governance
• be familiar with the emergence and spread of organizational forms and functions in transnational governance
• grasp the importance of institutions in transnational governance systems
• have knowledge of the role played by international organizations
• comprehend the dynamics of transnational governance across selected policy fields; health, higher education, climate, European integration

In the wake of World War II, the number and scope of intergovernmental organizations has increased dramatically regionally and globally. Examples include the European Union, the United Nations and the Word Trade Organisation. Many of these organizations - such as the EU - have developed management competence in the core areas of the classic national state (e.g. economic policy or security).

In the last 20 years, intergovernmental organizations have continued to expand, but there has also been a shift to new forms of organization in transnational governance - for example plurilateral clubs, transnational public-private collaborators, as well as private, transnational regulatory organizations. The increasing diversity and complexity of transnational institutional landscape has important implications for global politics. Moreover, the rise of great power politics and populism are resulting in changes in the institutional fabric and legitimacy of intergovernmental organizations, questioning traditional forms of transnational governance.

The first part of the course provides students with the necessary building blocks for approaching transnational governance. The second part of the course delves into specific policy areas. These include transnational health policy, environmental policy, EU integration and higher education. Through a thorough study of various forms of international cooperation within these specific policy areas, students will gain an in-depth understanding of the transnational political process and its variations across policy areas.