International standards have been long perceived as narrow and technical specifications for the production of goods to facilitate exchange. Examples range from the standardized size of printing paper to shipping containers.

Over time, the scope of standards has extended to domains such as labour, the environment and education. They are key instruments that link the global economy to domestic regulations.

At our first Global Governance Colloquim of the autumn academic semester, held on Monday 12 October 2020, Prof. Jean-Christophe Graz from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques (IEP) of the University of Lausanne discussed his recently published book The Power of Standards: Hybrid Authority and the Globalisation of Services.

Andrea Barrios Villarreal, a Graduate Institute alumna (PhD, International Law) and legal expert in international standards, joined us as discussant.

During his presentation, Prof. Graz highlighted the ambiguity of standards and their role in reshaping the relationship between territorial sovereignty and global capitalism. He discussed the hidden aspects of this transnational hybrid form of authority and the possible implications for governance challenges ranging from ecological crisis, to rising inequalities, to the influence of China in the world.

Following the presentation, participants engaged in an animated discussion on the nature of ambiguity, the role and influence of different actors, and the presence/absence of contestation in standard-setting. Standards were also compared to Frankenstein, often being assembled from different pieces without necessarily having a clear picture of their individual components.

Stay tuned to this page for more information on our upcoming events. Our next colloquium will take place on 26 October 2020.

Image by Jarosław Bialik from Pixabay