International Political Economy and the Prisoner's Dilemma: Compliance with International Law
Forthcoming in Alberta Fabricotti, (ed.) The Political Economy of International Law: A European Perspective (Edward Elgar 2016)
23 Pages Posted: 2 Mar 2016 Last revised: 19 Apr 2016
Date Written: February 29, 2016
Abstract
This chapter explores the concept of the prisoner’s dilemma in the context of compliance with international law. It examines the prisoner’s dilemma in a variety of international law contexts, from which international law can be seen as explanandum in that a prisoner’s dilemma sometimes leads to the creation of international law. International law can also serve as explanans in the context of the prisoner’s dilemma, in that international law has consequences and effects for prisoner’s dilemmas while not always resolving them. The chapter also identifies some limitations of the prisoner’s dilemma, in particular by highlighting examples of political economy factors that confound the assumptions inherent to a prisoner’s dilemma analysis.
Keywords: political economy, international political economy, prisoner's dilemma, international law, compliance
JEL Classification: F02, F19, C70
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation