The politics of international norms

• Department of Political and Social Sciences

This International Relations Working Group session features a book launch by Anette Stimmer (University of St Andrews, Scotland).

Anette Stimmer’s recently published book ‘The Politics of International Norms: A Rhetorical Approach’ (Cambridge University Press, 2025) sheds light on the effect episodes of contestation can have on norm strength. By using insights from rhetorical theories, she shows that it matters what norm elements are contested. Disagreements on the norm frame (e.g. over whether ‘due process’ or the UN Security Council’s prerogative prevails) tend to involve more uncertainty about the international community’s expectations than narrower disagreements on the behavioural claim (e.g. whether an Ombudsperson or an international court shall safeguard due process). The greater the uncertainty about what the international community considers appropriate, the weaker the norm. Furthermore, the book explains how three classical elements of rhetoric – speakers (including delegation to agents), argumentation and audience reactions – influence the duration of contestation and its outcome. The reactions of in-group members, for instance, are particularly influential for whether contested norm interpretations can be upheld. This rhetorical approach is applied to eight recent norm disputes, including the lead-up to the 2003 Iraq War, the 2011 No-Fly Zone over Libya, the South China Sea dispute, and contestation over the human rights of terror suspects.

Link to the book: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/politics-of-international-norms/E054D112472F4EBCB7B83C1C861F9774

The Zoom link will be sent upon registration.