Recursive recognition in the international political economy

Abstract

How are the tools that govern the world economy legitimated? Here we discuss how governance tools - such as policy scripts, templates, and benchmarks - are developed to contain particular types of knowledge. Such tools contain blueprints of how the world economy should work. Understanding how they are produced and legitimated is important if we are to comprehend how they replicate particular bodies of knowledge, policy languages, and norms. We suggest that ‘recursive recognition’ is an important trend in the international political economy, where different types of organizations legitimate particular governance tools; especially ones producing common metrics. For example: a private foundation releases a study on best practices in policy area X, which is then referred to as best practice by an intergovernmental organization, an NGO, a firm, and a global professional service firm. Investigating the extent of this phenomenon requires addressing two blind spots. The first blind spot is conceptual in the reification of agency and authority based on organizational types. The second blind spot is empirical in identifying how pervasive recursive recognition has become, and how it affirms the reproduction of power asymmetries.

Keywords:

• Authority
• governance
• legitimacy
• benchmarks
• rationalization
• structural power
• consultancies
• intergovernmental organizations
• global professional service firms

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Seabrooke gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Norwegian Research Council grant ‘The Market for Anarchy’ (#274740).

Notes on contributors

André Broome

André Broome is Associate Professor of International Political Economy in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick. His research currently focuses on international organizations, global benchmarking, and cognitive authority in international political economy.

Leonard Seabrooke

Leonard Seabrooke is Professor of International Political Economy and Economic Sociology in the Department of Organization at the Copenhagen Business School, and Research Professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. His research currently focuses on transnational professionals, international organizations, activist movements, and consultancy communities on a range of politico-economic issues.