Looking in the mirror: Comparing INGO networks across issue areas

• Published in: Review of International Organizations Vol. 7; no. 2; pp. 177 - 202
• Main Authors: Murdie, Amanda, Davis, David R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.06.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Advocacy; Collaboration; Economics; Environment; Human rights; Interdisciplinary aspects; International organizations; International relations; NGOs; Nongovernmental organizations; Political activism; Political economy; Political Science; Social networks; Social Sciences; Studies; Sustainable development; United States > US; Networks; Human rights; Health; Development; Environment; INGO; Non-governmental organizations
• ISSN: 1559-7431; 1559-744X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11558-011-9134-5

International Relations scholarship has begun to focus a great deal of attention on social networks and their influence on political outcomes. In this paper, we contribute to this effort by examining the network relationships of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) across four issues areas: the environment, health, human rights, and development. Using originally coded data on over 4000 INGOs, we find that the characteristics of network relations across the four areas are in fact quite different. Further, we find that these differences are driven in part by the characteristics of the INGOs, including whether they are located in the global North or South and their ties to intergovernmental organizations. Finally, we highlight the crucial “bridge” role of organizations that focus on a “hybrid” of multiple issue-areas within the overall network.