‘It’s fine in practice, but how about in theory?’ State-of-the-art minilateralism between expectations and reality

This article examines the current state of minilateralism. The overall point is to evaluate the theoretical understanding of minilateralism in light of the empirical development of minilateral groupings, which have grown significantly over the last twenty years. In particular, the article focuses on questions of institutionalisation, the relationship of minilaterals to multilateralism, the growth of minilaterals from US-led alliances, and the type of goods (public or club) minilaterals tend to produce. Section I lays out the framework and context for the argument. Section II surveys the development of minilateralism, comparing and contrasting the emergence and characteristics of ‘legacy’ minilaterals from the mid-twentieth century to contemporary minilaterals. Section III details the empirical record of selected contemporary minilateral cases in order to deepen answers to some of the theoretical questions that have emerged as contemporary minilateralism has become a maturing phenomenon in international affairs. In section IV, the article addresses new issues in minilateral formations, such as inter-regional and non-US-led minilaterals, as well as involvement of the private sector and non-governmental organisations as nodes in minilateral networks. Finally, section V concludes with reflections on minilateralism’s future.