
The use of indicators as a technique of global governance is increasing rapidly. Major examples include the World Bank's Doing Business Indicators, the World Bank's Good Governance and Rule of Law indicators, the Millennium Development Goals, and the indicators produced by Transparency International. Human rights indicators are being developed in the UN and regional and advocacy organizations. The burgeoning production and use of indicators has not, however, been accompanied by systematic comparative study of, or reflection on, the implications, possibilities, and pitfalls of this practice. This book furthers the study of these issues by examining the production and history of indicators, as well as relationships between the producers, users, subjects, and audiences of indicators. It also explores the creation, use, and effects of indicators as forms of knowledge and as mechanisms of making and implementing decisions in global governance. Using insights from case studies, empirical work, and theoretical approaches from several disciplines, the book identifies legal, policy, and normative implications of the production and use of indicators as a tool of global governance.
This book investigates how the proliferation of quantitative indicators functions as a mechanism of global governance and power. The authors, a team of legal and policy scholars, analyze the production, history, and real-world consequences of these metrics. They argue that indicators are not merely neutral data points but are active instruments that shape decision-making, policy implementation, and normative standards across international institutions.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Experts recognize this work as a foundational interdisciplinary text for understanding the intersection of law, policy, and quantification in global affairs. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is well-suited for researchers and practitioners in international governance.
Page Count:
498
Publication Date:
2012-01-01
ISBN-10:
0191632783
ISBN-13:
9780191632785
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