Complex global governance: A new methodology?

In this chapter the authors argue that global governance has developed in three waves. The first wave was influenced by the classic research field of international relations. The second wave described a world governed by transnational governance networks. The third wave draws attention to complexity. The chapter explores what this means in practice for how we study global governance. The authors argue that actors (e.g. an NGO, a nation state) are subject to an internal complexity as they operate in multiple and overlapping domains. Studying their emergence, formation and how they change is therefore essential. The chapter also points out relevant research techniques in the study of complex global governance. Besides the necessity of using thick description, and considering the historical dimension to the research, the authors point at forward-mapping and backward-mapping as useful techniques.