The Origins of Informality
Why the Legal Foundations of Global Governance are Shifting, and Why It Matters
Charles B. Roger
Reviews and Awards
"Charles Roger shows that the number and proportion of informal international organizations have increased rapidly recently, and provides strong evidence for an innovative explanation focusing on the autonomy of regulatory agencies and increases in domestic constraints. The Origins of Informality is an important book" -- Robert O. Keohane, Professor Emeritus of International Affairs, Princeton University
"Informal international organizations have grown in number and prominence in recent decades, from G20 summits to regulatory forums and climate change clubs. Charles Roger provides the most comprehensive investigation to date of this important sector of global governance, explaining why states create these organizations and evaluating their contribution to the effectiveness and accountabiliy of global collective action" -- Miles Kahler, , Distinguished Professor, School of International Service, American University
"This impressive volume advances a theory of informal governance that places domestic politics at its center. Aside from developing a compelling theory, Roger introduces one of the first systematic measures of informal governance, and hereby contributes to a broad effort in IR to put the study of global governance on a sound empirical footing. The Origins of Informality is essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of global governance" -- Liesbet Hooghe, W.R. Kenan Distinguished Professor, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill