Identity and Norm Diffusion in the Convention against Torture

Abstract Does state identity play a role in why governments enter into international agreements? Given the centrality of identity in the definition of norms, international agreements that incorporate norms should be especially likely to attract states with the relevant identities. To operationalize identity, we use the founding charters of international organizations. Region and domestic regime type are the most common forms of self-identification. We thus test whether the behavior of states is influenced by that of states in the same region with the same regime-type. We examine participation in the Convention against Torture because it is one of the most interesting and important human rights treaties with a well-developed literature that has produced important findings for non-identity theories. We find that states are likely to follow others states with a similar regime type from the same region when it comes to the ratification. Interestingly, the finding is driven by authoritarian cohorts, not democracies. Specifically, multiparty dictatorships are more likely to ratify when similar regimes of their region do so; and non-party and single-party authoritarian regimes follow each other in not ratifying. 1 This paper is about identity and norms in international politics. Specifically, we as