von Borzyskowski, Inken;
Vabulas, Felicity;
(2023)
When Do Withdrawal Threats Achieve Reform in International Organizations?
Global Perspectives
, 4
(1)
, Article 67826. 10.1525/gp.2023.67826.
Preview |
PDF
Borzyskowski Vabulas_2023_Withdrawal threats and reform.pdf - Published Version Download (660kB) | Preview |
Abstract
International organizations often come under pressure when states desire their reform. Some states threaten to leave international organizations unless their reform demands are met. But how often is threatening to withdraw associated with states demanding institutional reform? And under what conditions do states’ withdrawal threats actually achieve institutional reform? We argue that withdrawal threats are more likely to result in institutional reform when they (1) are made by powerful states and (2) are limited reform demands rather than calls for broader reform. We examine whether threatening to exit institutions can be a catalyst for institutional reform using an original dataset of withdrawal threats from all international organizations and states since 1980 (N = 130). The analysis supports our argument that withdrawal threats are more likely to lead to reforms when their associated demands are made by powerful states and are limited in scope. Further, we find that less than half of exit threats are linked to reform demands: many states threaten to withdraw due to conflicts with another state or for face-saving purposes, without making reform requests. This contrasts with the conventional understanding that exit threats often represent a backlash against international organizations. Perhaps surprisingly, the dynamics of bargaining over reform suggest that some organizations may emerge more, rather than less, resilient after states threaten to withdraw. We conclude with policy implications for rethinking multilateralism.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | When Do Withdrawal Threats Achieve Reform in International Organizations? |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1525/gp.2023.67826 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1525/gp.2023.67826 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | international organizations, withdraw, threat, reform, multilateralism |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Dept of Political Science |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10164936 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
