This past year I had the pleasure of co-editing a special issue of Third World Quarterly with Thomas Weiss. The issue, just out, is dedicated to the topic Emerging Powers and the UN: What Kind of Development Partnership?. The volume analyzes the changing relevance of emerging powers (BRICS and beyond) to the UN Development System, and vice-versa, within the context of diversifying normative and operational platforms for international development (including South-South cooperation). The volume includes contributions from colleagues at Oxford, PUC-Rio, Australian National University, and CUNY/Future United Nations Development System (FUNDS) and had input from many others who participated in the preparatory workshop, held in Rio earlier this year. A big obrigada to all involved! Link to the Table of Contents: tandfonline/toc/ctwq20/35/10#.VI7PjCeDopI Aside from co-editing the issue and co-autoring the Introduction with Tom, I contributed an article comparing the roles and behaviors of Brazil and China within the UN Development System: Abdenur, Adriana E. (2014) Emerging powers as normative agents: Brazil and China within the UN development system. Third World Quarterly 35:10, 1876-1893. Abstract: Institutions are frequently thought of as ‘socialising’ member states into pre-established norms. However, this influence is not necessarily a one-way street; members can also affect institutions, whether individually or collectively. This article analyses the behaviour of two emerging powers – Brazil and China – within the field of international development. What roles have these two states played in shaping global development norms? The article examines the key motivations, positions, and initiatives taken by Brazil and China, with special reference to the UN development system (UNDS). Whereas Brazil and China’s early behaviour within the UNDS diverged significantly, in the post-cold war period both have become increasingly interested in – and capable of – influencing UN norms. However, despite greater involvement in UN development negotiations, these countries’ leverage in normative debates originates outside of the unds, through their South–South cooperation programmes. The current diversification of platforms through which the norms of international development are negotiated may enhance the influence of emerging powers, although their ability to channel this influence effectively will depend on their capacity for norm entrepreneurship, rather than mere norm blocking.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 12:19:37 +0000
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