Allison Carnegie Books

Power Plays argues that coercive diplomacy causes difficulty cooperating due to fears of exploitation, but international institutions can solve these problems by preventing states to use certain tools for coercive purposes. By constraining the use of some instruments of coercion, institutions cause states to rely on less effective alternative tools.

What makes international rules effective? Transparency provided by international organizations has been a common answer. This book offers multi- method evidence that equipping international organizations with secrecy, rather than transparency, can enhance cooperation in domains ranging from nuclear proliferation to trade to human rights.