Socializing Development : Transnational Social Movement Advocacy and the Human Rights Accountability of Multilateral Development Banks

As Multilateral Development Banks have gained influence in shaping the global development in recent decades, transnational social movements pushed to hold them accountable for their human rights impact towards affected communities. Leon Valentin Schettler presents a novel causal mechanism of movement advocacy that combines disruptive (outside) with conventional (inside) tactics. Systematically comparing the institutionalization of the World Bank Inspection Panel in the early 1990s with its »safeguards« reform from 2012-2016, he reveals how the combination of 1) the declining US hegemony, 2) the counter-mobilization by China and 3) movement cooptation led to a dilution of human rights accountability in 2016. "As Multilateral Development Banks increasingly gained influence in shaping global development, transnational social movements pushed to hold them accountable for their human rights impact towards communities. Leon Valentin Schettler presents a novel causal mechanism of movement advocacy towards MDBs, combining disruptive and conventional tactics. Systematically comparing the evolution of human rights standards and complaint mechanisms over the last three decades, he reveals how the combination of 1) declining US hegemony, 2) counter-mobilization by China and 3) movement cooptation by the World Bank bureaucracy led to a dilution of human rights accountability in the 2010s."-- Provided by publisher

As Multilateral Development Banks increasingly gained influence in shaping global development, transnational social movements pushed to hold them accountable for their human rights impact towards communities. Leon Valentin Schettler presents a novel causal mechanism of movement advocacy towards MDBs, combining disruptive and conventional tactics. Systematically comparing the evolution of human rights standards and complaint mechanisms over the last three decades, he reveals how the combination of 1) declining US hegemony, 2) counter-mobilization by China and 3) movement cooptation by the World Bank bureaucracy led to a dilution of human rights accountability in the 2010s.