A central problem of our time is fostering the sustainable co-evolution of natural and socio-economic systems. Because this problem is global in scope, international regimes must play a key role. When and how are international regimes effective? Olav Schram Stokke answers this difficult question in Disaggregating International Regimes. His analysis is incisive, innovative, and insightful, triangulating process tracing, configurational comparative analysis, and statistical inference. He offers a dramatic analytic breakthrough in his demonstration of how to use counterfactual analysis to assess regime effectiveness, providing an important template for future research.
Charles Ragin, Professor of Sociology and Political Science, University of Arizona
This book is well researched and presents a fresh approach to the analysis of regime effectiveness. It emphasizes that to be effective, an international regime does not only require appropriate regulation and ensuing behavioral changes of relevant actors, but also a reliable cognitive foundation. It blends theoretical analysis with an interesting study of the Barents Sea fisheries regime. I highly recommend it to those concerned with the methodological and theoretical aspects of regime effectiveness research and to those interested in a highly topical cooperation project in the conflict-ridden Arctic area.
Thomas Gehring, Professor of International Politics and European Integration, Otto-Friedrich University Bamberg
Olav Schram Stokke makes major contributions to our understanding of international institutions. Perhaps Stokke's most important contribution is theoretical, helping us think more clearly about the fact that international institutions perform distinct cognitive, regulatory, and behavioral functions and that a complete understanding of international institutions requires that we think about these separately.
Ronald B. Mitchell, Professor of Political Science and Environmental Politics, University of Oregon
All those who thought there was nothing much to be added to the existing research on regime evolution and effectiveness will be compelled by this book to change their minds. Olav Schram Stokke provides a fresh and most systematic approach to disaggregating regime effectiveness that will no doubt take a central place in any collection on the subject.
Sebastian Oberthür, Academic Director, Institute for European Studies, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
