During recent years, civil society legitimacy has generated a growing interest in scholarly research. The present article therefore proposes four normative criteria, namely, independence, transparency, participation, and inclusion, in order to start assessing civil society legitimacy...

This working paper introduces the concept of legal personality of non-state actors as an indicator of the democratic legitimacy of international organizations (IOs). Globalization has led to changes in statehood which are reflected in new democratic forms of participation and new expectations...

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) was held by the United Nations in 2003 to draft a programmatic declaration for the information age. The involvement of civil society organisations (CSOs) in the drafting process was innovative and led to WSIS becoming an especially instructive...

A new kind of international regulatory system is spontaneously arising out of the failure of international "Old Governance" (i.e., treaties and intergovernmental organizations) to adequately regulate international business. Nongovernmental organizations, business firms, and other actors, singly...

It is often claimed that the participation of civil society organisations (CSOs) can mitigate the ‘democratic deficit’ of international organisations and the European Union. The underlying assumption is that transnational CSOs are, through their advocacy work, voicing citizens’ interests,...

Civil society participation has become a buzzword in the debate about the legitimacy and accountability of international governance. Many organizations, prominently among them the World Trade Organization (WTO), have come under considerable pressure to open up their policy-making process towards...

The German sectors of secondary and higher education witnessed far-reaching changes in the last decade. Comprehensive reforms were introduced that essentially altered the educational structure as well as the procedures in policy making. These reforms were massively influenced by international...

Using qualitative-sociological research methodology, the article explores the phenomenon of standard-setting by transnational administrative networks. Regarding both the enormous problem-solving capacity and the occurring threats for legitimacy, it is examined whether such network-like...

Internationale Organisationen (IO) sind in den letzten Jahrzehnten zu wichtigen Akteuren im Bildungsbereich avanciert. Die Erforschung der Rückwirkungen von internationalen Bildungsaktivitäten befindet sich aber noch in ihren Anfängen. Im Mittelpunkt dieser Arbeit steht deshalb eine...

This paper discusses the potential contribution of parliamentary institutions and networks to the democratization of global economic governance. It places the analysis in the context of the larger debate on the democratic deficit of international economic institutions, in particular the WTO. On...