1st Edition

Global Public Policy Business and the Countervailing Powers of Civil Society

Edited By Karsten Ronit Copyright 2007
    202 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    202 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    We are in a critical period where civil society organizations actively influence business political behaviour, while corporations and business associations are adopting new and flexible strategies aimed at closer contact with civil society.

    Against the backdrop of such broad reorientations, this book analyzes the new and changing roles of business and civil society actors to offer an accurate portrayal of the formation of global public policy. With contributions from leading experts in the field, it investigates the potential for, and emergence of, new policy arrangements along with their patterns of conflict and cooperation. Building upon theoretical inspirations from various traditions studying international affairs, this volume develops and applies the concepts of policy arrangements and countervailing power to the field of global business - civil society relations. A range of key issues including labour, consumers, global finance, the mining industry, climate policy and the World Economic and Social Forums are examined.

    Global Public Policy will be of strong interest to students and researchers of international political economy, international relations and international business.

    Preface  1. Introduction: Global Public Policy - The New Policy Arrangements of Business and Countervailing Groups Karsten Ronit  2. Labor and Business on a Global Scale Alex Diceanu and Robert O’Brien  3. Modes of Consumer Participation and Engagement in the Making of Global Consumer Policy  Karsten Ronit  4. Governance and Contestation in Global Finance Tony Porter  5. Privilege and Underprivilege: Countervailing Groups, Policy and the Mining Industry at the Global Level Aynsley Kellow  6. Two Worlds Apart? Davos’ World Economic Forum and Porto Alegre’s World Social Forum Michelle Beyeler  7. The Evolution of Climate Policy - Business and Environmental Organizations between Alliance Building and Entrenchment  Shannon K. Orr   8. Conclusions: The Predicaments of the New Policy Arrangements in Global Public Policy Karsten Ronit

    Biography

    Karsten Ronit