TY - JOUR

T1 - Global Ordering and the Interaction of Communities of Practice

T2 - A Framework for Analysis

AU - Bueger, Christian

AU - Hofius, Maren

AU - Edwards, Scott

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Several new frameworks for the study of the differentiation of and relations between global orders have recently been introduced to International Relations. This article demonstrates how the communities of practice (COP) framework provides complementary as well as novel answers to processes of global ordering. COP theory has become a thriving research framework and has led to substantial innovative work on the internal logics of international institutions, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union, and various professions, such as diplomats. Surprisingly, researchers have so far not appreciated the potential of the approach as a more general theory of global order. We argue that lifting this potential implies focusing on the interaction of and spaces between communities as well as going beyond the study of the internal logics of a discrete community. We propose a framework for the study of this interaction with a focus on its spatial and agential dimensions. We then show how this leads to an innovative research framework, drawing on an illustration from the case of global ocean governance.

AB - Several new frameworks for the study of the differentiation of and relations between global orders have recently been introduced to International Relations. This article demonstrates how the communities of practice (COP) framework provides complementary as well as novel answers to processes of global ordering. COP theory has become a thriving research framework and has led to substantial innovative work on the internal logics of international institutions, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union, and various professions, such as diplomats. Surprisingly, researchers have so far not appreciated the potential of the approach as a more general theory of global order. We argue that lifting this potential implies focusing on the interaction of and spaces between communities as well as going beyond the study of the internal logics of a discrete community. We propose a framework for the study of this interaction with a focus on its spatial and agential dimensions. We then show how this leads to an innovative research framework, drawing on an illustration from the case of global ocean governance.

U2 - 10.1093/isagsq/ksad079

DO - 10.1093/isagsq/ksad079

M3 - Journal article

VL - 4

JO - Global Studies Quarterly

JF - Global Studies Quarterly

SN - 2634-3797

IS - 1

M1 - ksad079

ER -