Mini-Symposium Introduction Informal Institutions and “Intractable” Global Problems

It is increasingly evident that informal institutions, or the sets of "unwritten" rules and configurations of social practices that exist outside "formal" structures of govern- ment (Chudek and Henrich 2011; Helmke and Levitsky 2004, 727), exercise tremendous influence over social behavior and political choice, and should not be ignored by those seeking fresh approaches to solving seemingly intractable problems. A vital component of many infor- mal institutions are social norms, that is, "standards of appropriate behavior for actors with a given identity" (Finnemore and Sikkink 1998, 891). To understand the political world, it seems, we must understand norms and the informal institutions they help comprise. These phe- nomena frequently cause behavior that is inconsistent with formal laws and policies, confounding the efforts of policymakers and reformers seeking to solve challenging problems. At the same time, the power of informal insti- tutions and norms offers unique opportunities for address- ing social and political problems. Despite their importance, however, informal institutions still receive relatively little attention from those trying to solve impor- tant policy challenges.This mini-symposium seeks to provide new theoreti- cal insights into how informal institutions and norms affect social and political choice, and also to provide new perspectives and potential solutions to seemingly intrac- table social and political problems. In this introduction, we note a few overarching strategies for using informal institutions to promote social change, drawing on policy examples and specific insights discussed in this collec- tion of articles.1. Challenging or Reinforcing Existing Norms to Promote Social ChangeNorms and informal institutions are often at the root of many social challenges, and serve as formidable obsta- cles to reform. Certain gender and familial norms, for instance, can be a major impediment to the enactment of new policies protecting the human rights of women. In addition, informal institutions can undermine enforce- ment of new formal rules even after policy reforms are adopted. Even new institutions, which might seem like "fresh starts" or "blank slates," are embedded in a broader context of formal and informal institutions that can make change difficult (Chappell, this volume; MacKay and Krook 2011). For example, Louise Chappell's essay doc- uments the ways that informal institutions work to dis- courage charges for war crimes related to rape and other violent acts against women, and limit the ability of the International Criminal Court to address these violations formally, in spite of strong formal language supporting such action. Similarly, Georgina Waylen's contribution outlines how informal rules undermine the effectiveness of gender quota provisions and other formal institutional reforms related to women's rights. Waylen's paper further argues that a feminist approach provides valuable insights about informal institutions in the area of gender politics that both challenge and enrich the theoretical approach of historical institutionalism more generally.As Raymond, Weldon, Kelly, Arriaga, and Clark point out in their article, an important strategy for norm-based change, therefore, is challenging problematic norms: making people more aware of them and subjecting them to scrutiny to weaken their influence over behavior. This process of "foregrounding" certain gender norms, for example, can lead some people to adjust their behavior to avoid sexist practices (Becker and Swim 2012). Activists have also foregrounded problematic norms by sponsoring women's testimonials in Congressional hearings or at United Nations conferences. In these testimonials, women describe their experiences of violence, thereby breaking taboos against speaking out on the subject and drawing attention to the ubiquity and harmful nature of violent behavior supported by norms of masculine dominance.Of course, not all norms or informal institutions are impediments to reform; in some cases, existing norms may hold untapped potential for promoting behavioral change that would ameliorate important social problems. …