Things We Lost in the Fire: Contestation of norms and its effects

In PRIF Working Paper No. 18 Nicole Deitelhoff and Lisbeth Zimmermann analyze the contestation of norms and its effects.

Norms in international relations are frequently contested and subjects of controversy. According to existing research contestation of norms can either lead to their strengthening or weakening. But under which conditions does contestation lead to either one?

 

Nicole Deitelhoff and Lisbeth Zimmermann argue in PRIF Working Paper No. 18 "Things We Lost in the Fire: How Different Types of Contestation Affect the Validity of International Norms" that the type of contestation matters to explain the strengthening or weakening effects. Contestation around the application of norms in a specific situation does not question the norm as such. On the other hand, contestation of the validity of a norm over time often leads to a weakening of the norm.



This PRIF Working Paper is available as a free PDF download.