Politics, Institutions, and Production Networks

Introduction

What are the political sources and consequences of economic globalization, and how do political institutions shape globalization? Current frameworks for understanding the politics over economic globalization emphasize a fragmentation of politics: political conflict breaks down to individual firms and citizens, because the gains from trade are concentrated on large, globally engaged, and politically active firms.

Innovative Framework

Departing from this view, PINPOINT develops an innovative framework built on the linkages between firms created by domestic production networks.

Broader Impact of Economic Globalization

Production ties imply a much broader impact of economic globalization, because many domestic firms interact with international markets indirectly as suppliers and as customers of globally engaged firms. Moreover, these linkages vary in quantity and quality.

Knowledge Gap

To date, we know surprisingly little about the role of production networks in politics, which creates a mismatch between the structure of modern economies and current theoretical frameworks. Ignoring such ties risks misattributing the impact of economic globalization, overlooking economic roots of political coalitions, and misunderstanding the sources and consequences of economic globalization.

Central Focus of PINPOINT

PINPOINT places economic exchange between firms front and center in an account of the behavior of governments, firms, and citizens in the context of international markets, and of the role of institutions in such an account.

Theoretical and Empirical Innovations

PINPOINT will provide theoretical and empirical innovations that lead to a revised understanding of the political underpinnings of economic globalization and of the mechanisms through which institutions shape economic globalization.