Rising Powers in Complex Regimes: South African Norm Shopping in the Governance of Cross-Border Investment

TY - JOUR

T1 - Rising Powers in Complex Regimes

T2 - South African Norm Shopping in the Governance of Cross-Border Investment

AU - Murray-Evans, Peg

N1 - This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.

PY - 2020/7/28

Y1 - 2020/7/28

N2 - This article offers a critical engagement with literatures on contemporary global power shifts and the phenomenon of ‘regime complexity’. It does so by focusing on South Africa’s role in the governance of cross-border investment, and using this case to explore the strategies used by rising powers to pursue their strategic aims in institutionally complex and fragmented global governance regimes. The article situates an understanding of regime complexity within a critical constructivist literature that highlights the ambiguity of international norms and the relationship between power and strategic rhetorical action. It argues that complex regimes create space for agency and strategic action by states and highlights one specific strategy – norm shopping – that rising powers can use to legitimate their actions and challenge dominant norms in complex regimes.

AB - This article offers a critical engagement with literatures on contemporary global power shifts and the phenomenon of ‘regime complexity’. It does so by focusing on South Africa’s role in the governance of cross-border investment, and using this case to explore the strategies used by rising powers to pursue their strategic aims in institutionally complex and fragmented global governance regimes. The article situates an understanding of regime complexity within a critical constructivist literature that highlights the ambiguity of international norms and the relationship between power and strategic rhetorical action. It argues that complex regimes create space for agency and strategic action by states and highlights one specific strategy – norm shopping – that rising powers can use to legitimate their actions and challenge dominant norms in complex regimes.

U2 - 10.1080/13563467.2019.1584172

DO - 10.1080/13563467.2019.1584172

M3 - Article

VL - 25

SP - 773

EP - 790

JO - New Political Economy

JF - New Political Economy

SN - 1356-3467

IS - 5

ER -