Problems and Prospects in the Study of International Norms1

The twin concepts of state sovereignty and international anarchy underlie much of contemporary theorizing about world politics. For many theorists, the absence of a central arbiter condemns nations to an existence of ruthless competition and unlimited discord. Yet there is a growing body of research that suggests otherwise. According to these studies, the web of expectations created by international norms introduces a modicum of order and predictability to world politics, even in the absence of formal institutions to enforce compliance with their injunctions. This essay reviews the various approaches that have been taken in the study of international norms. Special attention is devoted to examining the conceptual and methodological obstacles that have impeded empirical work on when, how, and why norms affect foreign policy behavior.