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COVID‐19 and Policy Responses by International Organizations: Crisis of Liberal International Order or Window of Opportunity?

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  • Maria Josepha Debre
  • Hylke Dijkstra

Abstract

The liberal international order is being challenged and international organizations (IOs) are a main target of contestation. COVID‐19 seems to exacerbate the situation with many states pursuing domestic strategies at the expense of multilateral cooperation. At the same time, IOs have traditionally benefited from cross‐border crises. This article analyzes the policy responses of IOs to the exogenous COVID‐19 shock by asking why some IOs use this crisis as an opportunity to expand their scope and policy instruments? It provides a cross‐sectional analysis using original data on the responses of 75 IOs to COVID‐19 during the first wave between March and June 2020. It finds that the bureaucratic capacity of IOs is significant when it comes to using the crisis as an opportunity. It also finds some evidence that the number of COVID‐19 cases among the member states affects policy responses and that general purpose IOs have benefited more.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Josepha Debre & Hylke Dijkstra, 2021. "COVID‐19 and Policy Responses by International Organizations: Crisis of Liberal International Order or Window of Opportunity?," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(4), pages 443-454, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:glopol:v:12:y:2021:i:4:p:443-454
    DOI: 10.1111/1758-5899.12975
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    2. Samuel J. Spiegel & Johanne Mhlanga, 2022. "Refugee Policy Amidst Global Shocks: Encampment, Resettlement Barriers and the Search for ‘Durable Solutions’," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(4), pages 427-441, September.
    3. ROUKANAS A. Spyros & VITZILEOS Vaggelis, 2023. "The Response Of International Financial Institutions To The Covid-19 Crisis," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 18(2), pages 257-269, August.
    4. Didier Wernli & Lucas Böttcher & Flore Vanackere & Yuliya Kaspiarovich & Maria Masood & Nicolas Levrat, 2023. "Understanding and governing global systemic crises in the 21st century: A complexity perspective," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 14(2), pages 207-228, May.
    5. Suyu Liu, 2022. "International Organizations' Policy Response to COVID‐19 in Longer Terms," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(4), pages 617-621, September.

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