"Private governance and E-commerce: Triangular diplomacy and contested authority in the United States and European Union"

Cowles, Maria Green. (2003) "Private governance and E-commerce: Triangular diplomacy and contested authority in the United States and European Union" . In European Union Studies Association (EUSA) > Biennial Conference > 2003 (8th), March 27-29, 2003, pages 36, Nashville, TN.

Abstract

The article begins by discussing the development and expansion of private governance theory and its broader conceptual framework. The second part of the article highlights the promotion of private authority in global ecommerce activities, and the creation of the Global Business Dialog on e-commerce (GBDc). The third section examines the GBDe's policies in the three key areas of consumer confidence: privacy policy, alternative dispute resolution, and trustmarks. The final section of the article reviews the case study in light of triangular diplomacy and contested authority, and discusses how our theoretical approaches to private governance and global governance in general need to be expanded to recognize the role of private actors in this sovereignty@bay world.