Lecture | L-PEG Lunch Research Seminar
All Politics is Glocal! Municipalities in Global Trade Politics
- Gabriel Siles-Brügge
- Date
- Friday 8 November 2019
- Time
- Location
-
Matthias de Vrieshof
Matthias de Vrieshof 4
2311 BZ Leiden - Room
- 5
Registration
Please register in advance at l-peg@hum.leidenuniv.nl to receive a copy of the paper & lunch.
Abstract
Although much has been written about the social movement organisations (SMOs) protesting trade and investment agreements, very little has been said about a central element of SMO strategy: targeting municipalities. Over the last two decades, SMOs have successfully persuaded over 2000 municipalities across Europe and North America to pass resolutions either declaring themselves ‘free zones’ or otherwise criticise ongoing trade negotiations. Given that municipalities have no formal say in trade policymaking, why have activists expended considerable resources on this tactic? Why have municipalities (as actors of the state) been so willing to ally themselves with critical SMOs?
