The global dimension of domestic regulatory agencies: Why do we need a networked perspective of political legitimacy?

Abstract

Many domestic regulatory agencies (DRAs) have intensified the use of international cooperation mechanisms, and their decisions increasingly exert a global impact. While the globally interactive nature of DRAs is generally accepted, the theoretical implications of this collaboration remain unexplored. I argue that DRAs have a global-domestic institutional dimension and outline the attributes of this aspect of their authority. Based on my analysis, I claim that the global-domestic dimension of DRAs produces changes in the manner in which they exercise their authority. I further try to ascertain how the political legitimacy of these agencies should be assessed. Finally, I argue that a networked perspective of political legitimacy is normatively sound in capturing and evaluating the global-domestic authority of DRAs.