CIAO DATE: 03/2011
February 2011
Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
Nexon and Wright (2007) have shown how classical social network analysis and newer relational sensibilities can be combined in ideal typical ways to make sense of the governing logics of empires. Whilst their model shows formal imperial ties, I argue that there is a lot happening before these formal ties are established – what one might call ‘preparing the ground’ for imperial logics of rule. For such dynamics, I construct a sup-plementary ideal type to facilitate the empirical study of the formation of imperial ties. To investigate processes of social formation, I resort to institutional theory. Further, to apply institutional theory in an efficient way in studying the formation of ties, one should focus on micro level phenomena. The new ideal type depicts how informal imperial ties exist in the process of empire formation, how imperial intermediaries are under construc-tion, and how an imperial ‘pincer movement’ helps to construct such informal ties and in-termediaries. Using empirical illustrations, I assess the core mechanisms of Nexon and Wright’s original formulation in light of the new ideal type.
Resource link: How Empires emerge [PDF] - 1.2M