The unmaking of special rights

As global power shifts, many scholars argue that global order is changing. Our study sheds light on an often-forgotten pillar of this order: special rights for developing countries. Since decolonization, several global regimes grant ‘disadvantaged’ members exemptions, flexibilities, or access to financial assistance. Yet, the rise of Brazil, China, India, and others has led to pressure to adjust these rights to new economic realities. In this book, we analyse how special rights for developing countries have evolved in the context of global power shifts. In this introductory chapter, we define what international norms of differential treatment are, theorize when and how such norms are likely be adjusted to as global power begins to shift, and summarize our central argument – namely, that the system of differential treatment for developing countries that we used to know is becoming gradually replaced by a new system that is more fragmented, more individualized, and more informal.