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Close cousins or false friends? Studying interest groups and INGOs

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Abstract

The literatures on INGOs and on interest groups have generally worked in parallel, but rarely overlapped. This is unfortunate, as many insights from these literatures are highly applicable to one another. Just as sociologists studying social movement organisations and political scientists studying interest groups have come to appreciate, there is value in cooperation to advance understanding. Yet there are costs in so doing. This essay will reflect on the contents of this special issue on global governance and in so doing will review the points of overlap that are prime candidates for cooperation, while noting areas where work might be more difficult.

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Notes

  1. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance is a Convention signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. COP refers to the Conference of Parties to the convention.

  2. This term is normally limited to the voluntary sector, such as those working in charities and social services.

  3. Often used interchangeably with VSO.

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  1. School of Politics and IR, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

    Darren R. Halpin

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Halpin, D.R. Close cousins or false friends? Studying interest groups and INGOs. Int Groups Adv 8, 480–489 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41309-019-00070-z

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