IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/glopol/v12y2021is7p34-44.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Focal Times and Spaces: How Ethnography Foregrounds the Spatiotemporality of International Organizations and Global Governance

Author

Listed:
  • Julian Eckl

Abstract

Drawing on a long‐term political ethnography of sites of global health governance, the paper makes methodological and substantive contributions. First of all, it shows that ethnography induces researchers to experience international organizations (IOs) and global governance as spatiotemporal phenomena. This experience overlaps with the lived realities of practitioners and spotlights aspects that are otherwise easily overlooked. Both practitioners and ethnographers have to be in specific spaces at particular times. This practical challenge illustrates that there are focal times and spaces, which are linked to the cyclical and sited character of global health governance. These focal times and spaces provide an important coordination mechanism and ease the general flow of knowledge – within IOs and between IOs and their environment. However, there is also the constant danger that they develop a self‐referential life of their own and become disconnected from other processes. Similarly, not just researchers but also practitioners are struggling to develop a comprehensive understanding of IOs since they experience them only partially and in specific settings. Thus, a spatiotemporal account highlights both overlooked links and unexpected disconnections. The conclusion mentions that the current – COVID‐19‐induced – mainstreaming of digital technologies will impact the spatiotemporal dimension of global health governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Julian Eckl, 2021. "Focal Times and Spaces: How Ethnography Foregrounds the Spatiotemporality of International Organizations and Global Governance," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 34-44, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:glopol:v:12:y:2021:i:s7:p:34-44
    DOI: 10.1111/1758-5899.12908
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12908
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/1758-5899.12908?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kari De Pryck, 2021. "Controversial Practices: Tracing the Proceduralization of the IPCC in Time and Space," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 80-89, December.
    2. James Worrall, 2021. "'Your Own Space and Time': Spatiality and Temporality in the Study of the International Organisations of the Middle East," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 45-54, December.
    3. Luciana Campos, 2021. "Understanding Change in International Organizations Across Time and Spaces: The Rise of UN Country Teams," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 55-67, December.
    4. Emilie Dairon & Fanny Badache, 2021. "Understanding International Organizations’ Headquarters as Ecosystems: The Case of Geneva," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 24-33, December.
    5. Devi Sridhar & Ngaire Woods, 2013. "Trojan Multilateralism: Global Cooperation in Health," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 4(4), pages 325-335, November.
    6. Lucile Maertens & Leah R. Kimber & Fanny Badache & Emilie Dairon, 2021. "Time and space in the study of international organizations: An introduction," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 5-13, December.
    7. David Held & Ilona Kickbusch & Kyle McNally & Dario Piselli & Michaela Told, 2019. "Gridlock, Innovation and Resilience in Global Health Governance," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 10(2), pages 161-177, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Leah R. Kimber & Lucile Maertens, 2021. "Experiencing Time and Space within the United Nations," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 14-23, December.
    2. Emilie Dairon & Fanny Badache, 2021. "Understanding International Organizations’ Headquarters as Ecosystems: The Case of Geneva," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 24-33, December.
    3. James Worrall, 2021. "'Your Own Space and Time': Spatiality and Temporality in the Study of the International Organisations of the Middle East," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 45-54, December.
    4. Kari De Pryck, 2021. "Controversial Practices: Tracing the Proceduralization of the IPCC in Time and Space," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 80-89, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Leah R. Kimber & Lucile Maertens, 2021. "Experiencing Time and Space within the United Nations," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 14-23, December.
    2. Luciana Campos, 2021. "Understanding Change in International Organizations Across Time and Spaces: The Rise of UN Country Teams," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 55-67, December.
    3. Lucile Maertens & Leah R. Kimber & Fanny Badache & Emilie Dairon, 2021. "Time and space in the study of international organizations: An introduction," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 5-13, December.
    4. Jan Verlin, 2021. "Humanitarian Planning and Localised Temporalities: The Haitian Case," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S7), pages 68-79, December.
    5. Reinsberg,Bernhard Wilfried & Michaelowa,Katharina & Knack,Stephen, 2015. "Which donors, which funds ? the choice of multilateral funds by bilateral donors at the World Bank," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7441, The World Bank.
    6. Suyu Liu & Wenjun Ding, 2023. "The ecosystem of headquarter cities and international organisations needs more consideration," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 14(1), pages 199-201, February.
    7. Vaclav Vlcek, 2023. "Who cares about the UN General Assembly? National delegations size from 1993 to 2016," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 14(2), pages 349-360, May.
    8. Klaus H. Goetz & Ronny Patz & Katharina Michaelowa, 2017. "Resourcing International Organisations: So What?," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 8, pages 113-123, August.
    9. repec:bla:glopol:v:8:y:2017:i:s5:p:102-112 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Yanguas, Pablo & Hulme, David, 2015. "Barriers to Political Analysis in Aid Bureaucracies: From Principle to Practice in DFID and the World Bank," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 209-219.
    11. Klaus H. Goetz & Ronny Patz & Stephen Browne, 2017. "Vertical Funds: New Forms of Multilateralism This article draws on research undertaken during 2013 and 2014 as part of a multidisciplinary project, supported by the Swiss Network for International Stu," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 8, pages 36-45, August.
    12. repec:bla:glopol:v:8:y:2017:i:s5:p:36-45 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Klaus H. Goetz & Ronny Patz & Bernhard Reinsberg, 2017. "Trust Funds as a Lever of Influence at International Development Organizations," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 8, pages 85-95, August.
    14. Catherine M. Jones & Carole Clavier & Louise Potvin, 2020. "Policy processes sans frontières: interactions in transnational governance of global health," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 53(1), pages 161-180, March.
    15. repec:bla:glopol:v:8:y:2017:i:s5:p:15-25 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Bernhard REINSBERG, 2017. "The use of multi-bi aid by France in comparison with other donor countries," Working Paper 3c664604-b408-4a2c-bf46-5, Agence française de développement.
    17. Lange, Thomas & Villarreal, Pedro A. & Bärnighausen, Till, 2023. "Counter-contestation in global health governance: The WHO and its member states in emergency settings," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    18. Josephine Borghi & Garrett W. Brown, 2022. "Taking Systems Thinking to the Global Level: Using the WHO Building Blocks to Describe and Appraise the Global Health System in Relation to COVID‐19," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(2), pages 193-207, May.
    19. Klaus H. Goetz & Ronny Patz & Erin R. Graham, 2017. "Follow the Money: How Trends in Financing Are Changing Governance at International Organizations," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 8, pages 15-25, August.
    20. Klaus H. Goetz & Ronny Patz & Jörn Ege & Michael W. Bauer, 2017. "How Financial Resources Affect the Autonomy of International Public Administrations," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 8, pages 75-84, August.
    21. repec:bla:glopol:v:8:y:2017:i:s5:p:75-84 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Gamze Erdem Türkelli, 2021. "Transnational Multistakeholder Partnerships as Vessels to Finance Development: Navigating the Accountability Waters," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(2), pages 177-189, April.
    23. de Sépibus, Joëlle, 2014. "The Green Climate Fund: how attractive is it to donor countries?," Papers 747, World Trade Institute.
    24. Vera Z. Eichenauer & Simon Hug, 2018. "The politics of special purpose trust funds," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 211-255, July.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:glopol:v:12:y:2021:i:s7:p:34-44. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/lsepsuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.