A1 Journal article (refereed)
The Politics of Explanatory Nationalism and the Evolution of the United Nations Agenda on Multinational Enterprises (2020)
Политика объяснительного национализма и эволюция повестки дня ООН по транснациональным корпорациям

Eskelinen Teppo, Ylönen Matti. (2020). The Politics of Explanatory Nationalism and the Evolution of the United Nations Agenda on Multinational Enterprises. Vestnik mezhdunarodnih organizatsii, 15(3), 176-201. https://doi.org/10.17323/1996-7845-2020-03-07

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Eskelinen Teppo; Ylönen Matti

Journal or series: Vestnik mezhdunarodnih organizatsii

ISSN: 1996-7845

eISSN: 2542-2081

Publication year: 2020

Publication date: 01/11/2020

Volume: 15

Issue number: 3

Pages range: 176-201

Publisher: National Research University, Higher School of Economics (HSE)

Publication country: Russian Federation

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17323/1996-7845-2020-03-07

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/74028

Abstract

Social problems in the global South are often explained by reference to domestic decisions or “institutional quality” in the Southern countries, while there are also prominent criticisms of such “nationalist explanations”. Crucially, the dispute over correct mode of explanation is not only epistemological, but also political, as has been often noted in analyses of hegemony. This paper develops such ideas about “hegemonic” forms of explanation by analysing how an explanatory tendency becomes institutionalised in the operating logic of international organisations. We analyse as a case study the long-term developments within the UN in the field of multinational enterprises (MNEs). We follow the process in which an agenda focused on the regulation of MNEs shifted into the direction of focusing on local institutional quality and emphasising “partnerships” instead of regulation. The analysis demonstrates how political momentum and external challenges affect explanatory tendencies, and generally the deep impact of organisational embeddedness of these tendencies.

Keywords: societal change; social problems; political institutions; international corporations; international organisations; hegemony; corruption; development research

Free keywords:  explanatory nationalism; multinational enterprises; United Nations

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2020

JUFO rating: 1