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On the meaning(s) of norms: Ambiguity and global governance in a post-hegemonic world

Thomas Linsenmaier, Dennis Schmidt Orcid Logo, Kilian Spandler

Review of International Studies, Volume: 47, Issue: 4, Pages: 508 - 527

Swansea University Author: Dennis Schmidt Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1017/s0260210521000371

Abstract

This article offers a new conceptualisation of the meaning of norms in world politics. It starts from the observation that existing norm scholarship in International Relations has underestimated the role of ambiguity in the constitution of norm meaning. To address this shortcoming, we advance a conc...

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Published in: Review of International Studies
ISSN: 0260-2105 1469-9044
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2021
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57315
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first_indexed 2021-07-12T16:31:36Z
last_indexed 2021-11-30T04:15:20Z
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spelling 2021-11-29T17:04:32.1312348 v2 57315 2021-07-12 On the meaning(s) of norms: Ambiguity and global governance in a post-hegemonic world 34ba44cca786a2642ddd4d447ff8c5fe 0000-0002-2515-5733 Dennis Schmidt Dennis Schmidt true false 2021-07-12 APC This article offers a new conceptualisation of the meaning of norms in world politics. It starts from the observation that existing norm scholarship in International Relations has underestimated the role of ambiguity in the constitution of norm meaning. To address this shortcoming, we advance a conceptualisation that sees norm polysemy – the empirically observable plurality of norm meanings-in-use – as resulting from the enactment of inherently ambiguous norms in different contexts. By foregrounding norm ambiguity, this view offers a radically non-essentialist understanding of norm meaning, one that eschews any attempt to salvage final or ‘true’ meanings behind the polysemy of norms. Using empirical illustrations from different fields of contemporary global governance, we identify four mechanisms through which actors practically cope with the multiplicity of norm meanings that arises from norm ambiguity (deliberation, adjudication, uni- or multilateral fixation attempts, and ad hoc enactment) and outline their varying effects on the legitimacy and effectiveness of global governance. Based on this discussion, the article points to the normative implications of a radically non-essentialist conception of norms and suggests harnessing the positive potential of norm ambiguity as an ethically desirable condition that promotes human diversity and the plurality of global life. Journal Article Review of International Studies 47 4 508 527 Cambridge University Press (CUP) 0260-2105 1469-9044 International Norms; Norm Meaning; Norm Contestation; Polysemy; Ethics 1 10 2021 2021-10-01 10.1017/s0260210521000371 COLLEGE NANME Politics, Philosophy and International Relations COLLEGE CODE APC Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee 2021-11-29T17:04:32.1312348 2021-07-12T17:28:10.5289486 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Culture and Communication - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations Thomas Linsenmaier 1 Dennis Schmidt 0000-0002-2515-5733 2 Kilian Spandler 3 57315__20391__e9985f5645e043b5aff0ad3787710d66.pdf on-the-meanings-of-norms-ambiguity-and-global-governance-in-a-post-hegemonic-world.pdf 2021-07-12T17:30:37.8311588 Output 274887 application/pdf Version of Record true © The Author(s), 2021. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title On the meaning(s) of norms: Ambiguity and global governance in a post-hegemonic world
spellingShingle On the meaning(s) of norms: Ambiguity and global governance in a post-hegemonic world
Dennis Schmidt
title_short On the meaning(s) of norms: Ambiguity and global governance in a post-hegemonic world
title_full On the meaning(s) of norms: Ambiguity and global governance in a post-hegemonic world
title_fullStr On the meaning(s) of norms: Ambiguity and global governance in a post-hegemonic world
title_full_unstemmed On the meaning(s) of norms: Ambiguity and global governance in a post-hegemonic world
title_sort On the meaning(s) of norms: Ambiguity and global governance in a post-hegemonic world
author_id_str_mv 34ba44cca786a2642ddd4d447ff8c5fe
author_id_fullname_str_mv 34ba44cca786a2642ddd4d447ff8c5fe_***_Dennis Schmidt
author Dennis Schmidt
author2 Thomas Linsenmaier
Dennis Schmidt
Kilian Spandler
format Journal article
container_title Review of International Studies
container_volume 47
container_issue 4
container_start_page 508
publishDate 2021
institution Swansea University
issn 0260-2105
1469-9044
doi_str_mv 10.1017/s0260210521000371
publisher Cambridge University Press (CUP)
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Culture and Communication - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Culture and Communication - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations
document_store_str 1
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description This article offers a new conceptualisation of the meaning of norms in world politics. It starts from the observation that existing norm scholarship in International Relations has underestimated the role of ambiguity in the constitution of norm meaning. To address this shortcoming, we advance a conceptualisation that sees norm polysemy – the empirically observable plurality of norm meanings-in-use – as resulting from the enactment of inherently ambiguous norms in different contexts. By foregrounding norm ambiguity, this view offers a radically non-essentialist understanding of norm meaning, one that eschews any attempt to salvage final or ‘true’ meanings behind the polysemy of norms. Using empirical illustrations from different fields of contemporary global governance, we identify four mechanisms through which actors practically cope with the multiplicity of norm meanings that arises from norm ambiguity (deliberation, adjudication, uni- or multilateral fixation attempts, and ad hoc enactment) and outline their varying effects on the legitimacy and effectiveness of global governance. Based on this discussion, the article points to the normative implications of a radically non-essentialist conception of norms and suggests harnessing the positive potential of norm ambiguity as an ethically desirable condition that promotes human diversity and the plurality of global life.
published_date 2021-10-01T04:12:58Z
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score 11.016794

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