2. Sovereignty and Globalization

The first of the distinctions around which this book is organized is between sovereignty and globalization. Sovereignty is the starting point in traditional international relations theory. In the past two decades, globalization has become a buzzword both for those applauding and for those opposing trends toward policy convergence among states. Is globalization undermining the sovereign state system? If so, what role do international organizations (IOs) play in the process? International organizations can be seen as the agents through which states are promoting the forces of globalization, or as the agents that states are using to protect themselves from the broader forces of globalization. If the former, they are helping to undermine the traditional state system. If the latter, they are helping to support it.