| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | International Encyclopedia of Political Science |
| Editors | Bertrand Badie, Dirk Berg-Schlosser, Leonardo Morlino |
| Place of Publication | EU |
| Publisher | Sage Publications Inc |
| Pages | 1-3pp |
| Volume | 9 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781412959636 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 |
Abstract
Bilateralism refers to any relationship between two parties. In the study of international relations, we normally think of bilateralism as referring to relations between two states. But this is an overly narrow definition. Bilateralism can denote an arrangement between two private companieseconomists, for instance, write of a bilateral monopoly where there is effectively only one seller and one purchaser in a market. Alternatively, bilateralism can involve two nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), two intergovernmental organizations, or any two-party combination of these actors (including states). For instance, a bilateral agreement is negotiated when an intergovernmental organization, such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), commissions a local NGO to manage a project for it.