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. Cover Contents Acknowledgements Abstract List of Abbreviations Introduction Theoretical Starting Point and Research Question Analytical Framework Research Design, Case Selection and Main Findings Basic Assumptions and Normative Relevance My Contributions 1 Human Rights Accountability as a minimum threshold of MDB Legitimacy 1.1 Multilateral Development Banks – A Definition 1.2 The Growing Responsibilities of Multilateral Development Banks 1.3 Conceptions of Accountability 1.4 Human Rights as the relevant Standard of Accountability 1.4.1 Human Rights as the Protection of Basic Human Interests 1.4.2 Legal Arguments for the Human Rights Obligations of MDBs 1.4.3 MDB Obligations in light of larger Empirical Trends in Global Governance 2 Transnational Social Movements as agents of change in World Politics 2.1 Transnational Social Movements – A Definition 2.2 The Transnationalization of Social Movement Activity 2.3 Social Movement Tactics 2.4 Socialization and the Outcomes of Social Movements 3 Analytical Framework 3.1 MDB Socialization through Human Rights Accountability 3.2 Scope Conditions of Movement Influence 3.2.1 Properties of the actor seeking change 3.2.2 Properties of the targeted organization 3.2.3 Properties of the issue 3.2.4 Properties of the discursive opportunity structure 3.3 Counter Mobilization as continuous MDB - TSM interaction 3.4 Two Logics of Action and Organizational Change 3.5 A Causal Mechanism of Movement influence 3.5.1 The Power of Disruptive Tactics (Part I) 3.5.2 The Power of Conventional Tactics (Part II) 3.5.3 Member State Incentives, Sanctions and Coercion (Part III) 4 Research Design 4.1 Process-Tracing: Uncovering Causal Mechanisms 4.1.1 Underlying understandings of causality 4.1.2 Theory Testing Process Tracing 4.1.3 Methodological Limitations 4.1.4 Process Tracing in Comparative Case Study Designs 4.2 Case Selection 4.3 Operationalization 4.3.1 Socialization Outcome: Human Rights Accountability 4.3.2 The Cause: Joint Transnational Social Movement Activism 4.3.3 Disruptive Movement Tactics towards the MDB (Part 1) 4.3.4 Conventional Tactics toward Member States (Part 2) 4.3.5 Member State Incentives Toward the MDB (Part 3) 4.3.6 Rules of Aggregation 4.4 Data Collection and Analysis 4.4.1 Data Collection 4.4.2 Data Analysis 5 Human Rights Accountability at the World Bank 5.1 The World Bank – A short introduction 5.2 Human Rights and Transparency in World Bank “Safeguards” 5.3 Sanctions in cases of non‐compliance: The World Bank Inspection Panel 5.4 Summary of Case Study Outcomes 6 Case 1: A Revolution of World Bank Accountability (1988 – 1994) 6.1 Cause: Joint Transnational Social Movement activity 6.2 Part 1: Disruptive TSM tactics causing MDB Crisis 63. Part 2: Conventional TSM tactics through the state channel 6.4 Part 3: Member states incentivize MDB reform 6.5 Socialization Outcome: Comprehensive Human Rights Accountability 7 Case 2: The Dilution of World Bank 7.1 Cause: Joint Transnational Social Movement activity 7.2 Part 1: Disruptive TSM tactics causing MDB crisis 7.3 Part 2: Conventional TSM tactics through the state channel 7.4 Interruption and breakdown of the Mechanism 7.5 Outcome: The Dilution of World Bank Safeguards 7.5.1 Obligation and Scope 1 7.5.2 Precision 7.5.3 Delegation and Scope II 8 Analysis 8.1 Similar Movement Activities and Scope Conditions 8.2 Counter Mobilization by the World Bank Bureaucracy 8.3 Contested Multilateralism and the rise of China in Development Cooperation 8.4 Wag the Dog – The Quiescence of Liberal Member States Conclusion Theoretical Implications Policy and Strategy Implications for Transnational Social Movements Liberal Democratic Mobilization and the End of U.S. Hegemony Engaging China Bolster Strong Regional Networks Engaging MDB Bureaucracies Limitations and Future Research References Appendix: List of Interviewees and Background Conversations 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. Human Rights,Development,Social Movements,World Bank,Society,Neoliberalism,Economy,Politics,International Relations,Finance,Political Science,Process Tracing "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.