Institutionalism through the principle of

Institutions are patterns, norms rules and schemes supranationality. As Mitrany argued
that govern and direct social thought and action. against territory being the source of
Institutionalism, therefore, is an approach that authority, Monnet used the argument
aims to understand and analyze how actions, to erase country borderlines.
thoughts, and meanings penetrate into the social Stephen Krasner
consciousness deeply enough to embed themselves  Stephen Krasner (born 1942) is an
into social psyche. American professor of international
Isomorphism refers to the similarity in form, shape relations. Krasner argues that the American
or structure. Institutions arise, change, and persist government and nongovernment
due to their regulative, normative and cognitive organizations should prioritize the
functions. These functions are isomorphic in nature stabilization of weakened states so that
as they adopt in form, shape or structure to provide American interests would be protected. In
social legitimacy, survival or both. order to address the continued deterioration
Three functions of Isomorphism: of weaker states, he suggested creation of
 Regulative function operates through coercive institutions that will allow the weaker states
isomorphism, which places to enter a market democracy.
value on expediency as effect of compliance.
Change either happens or not Types of Institutionalism:
depending on external factors such as rules and 1. Normative institutionalism- is a sociological
laws. interpretation of institutions and holds that a
 Normative function operates through normative “logic of appropriateness” guides the
isomorphism, which places behavior of actors within an institution. It
value on complying with social obligations. Change predicts that the norms and formal rules of
either happens or not institutions will shape the actions of those
depending on external factors such as acting within them.
accreditations and certifications. 2. Rational Choice Institutionalism- is a
 Cognitive function operates through mimetic theoretical approach to the study of
isomorphism, which places institutions arguing that actors use
value on factors such as uncertainty and prevalence institutions to maximize their utility. However,
of others‟ performance. actors face rule-based constraints which
influence their behavior.
Key Concepts in Institutionalism 3. Historical institutionalism – is a new
Formal institutions are codified rules, policies and institutionalist social science approach
norms that are considered official, originating from that emphasizes how timing, sequences and
state laws, government or organizations. path dependence affect institutions, and
Informal institutions, on the other hand, are shape social, political, economic behavior and
equally known rules and norms but are not change.
commonly written down. Informal institutions are 4. Sociological institutionalism – is a form of
social practices that have been commonly viewed new institutionalism that concerns “the way
as acceptable and are more persistent than codified in which institutions create meaning for
laws like that of formal institutions. individuals, providing important theoretical
building blocks for normative institutionalism
Important Theorists on Institutionalism within political science”.
David Mitrany 5. Institutional Economics – focuses on
 David Mitrany (1888-1975) was a understanding the role of the evolutionary
Romanian-born British process and the role of institutions in shaping
scholar, historian, and political theorist. Mitrany is economic behavior.
considered as the father of functionalism in 6. Discursive institutionalism – is an umbrella
international relations, which is classified under concept for approaches that concern
liberal institutionalism. themselves with the substantive content of
Functionalism, as applied to the study of states, ideas and the interactive processes of
proposes an alternative to territorialism, which is the discourse in institutional context.
foundation from 7. Constructivist institutionalism – According to
which states derive their power of authority from multiple theorists, this is so whether the field
territory. in question is directly denoted as or has to do
more with bringing constructivist ideas into
Jean Monnet some other field, or with bringing ideas back
 Jean Monnet (1888-1979) was a into the theory in contrast against
French political economist and structuralist and/or system.
diplomat. As one of the originators of 8. Feminist institutionalism – is a new
the European Union, he saw how the institutionalist approach that looks at how
needs of the state are to be achieved
gender norms operate within institutions and
how institutional processes construct and
maintain gender power dynamic.