Introduction: institutional diversity in global governance

Globalization processes are propelling a transformation of governance. As political problems become more transnational, public as well as private actors increasingly perform governance activities beyond the level of individual states. This book examines the wide variety of forms that governance can take in the global system and their consequences. It proposes a conceptual and analytical framework that focuses on institutional diversity in global governance. This framework is then applied to a set of global institutions and initiatives dealing with key transnational issues, such as trade liberalization, financial market regulation, privacy protection, cybercrime, biodiversity and food safety.