Effective Global Governance Structures: Regionalization and Legalization in the WTO

Considering the effectiveness of the WTO and global governance in general as insufficient to overcome growing problems in governing a globalizing world, I pursue four objectives. By shedding light on the changes in the environment of the WTO and their implications for the working of the WTO, I first want to underpin the case for structural reforms. My second, and central, aim is to recommend a more effective structure for the WTO. Thirdly, I draw general lessons for global governance from the example of the WTO. And finally, I assess the adequacy of my innovative research design. The research design is characterized by a broad analytical framework that traces how regional integration among nation states and legalization of international institutions affect bargaining and enforcement of international agreements; additionally, it considers trends that affect the WTO. The interdisciplinary theoretical framework combines insights from the fields of international relations, international law, and international economics, and builds upon rationalist and constructivist perspectives