Institutional Power and Influence: The Action Logic of International Organizations in the Context of Great Power Competition

Yujia Wang

doi:10.54254/2753-7048/2025.LD29823

Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public MediaOpen access

Institutional Power and Influence: The Action Logic of International Organizations in the Context of Great Power Competition

Research Article

Open Access

Institutional Power and Influence: The Action Logic of International Organizations in the Context of Great Power Competition

Yujia Wang ^1*

¹ University of Edinburgh

^*Corresponding author: Y.Wang-998@sms.ed.ac.uk

Published on 26 November 2025

LNEP Vol.119

ISSN (Print): 2753-7056

ISSN (Online): 2753-7048

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-545-5

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-546-2

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Abstract

In the context of the increasingly multipolar global order, the role of international organizations in the competition among major powers is increasingly complex and critical. From the perspective of institutional power, this paper discusses the operational logic of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) under the background of Sino US strategic competition. Through literature analysis and case studies, this paper systematically combs the different understandings of rationalism and Constructivism on the behavior of international organizations, and compares and analyzes how two important international organizations maintain their authority and legitimacy under geopolitical tensions. The study found that although international organizations are subject to the interests of major powers, their institutional design and normative power can still affect the behavior of Member States to a certain extent. This paper argues that enhancing procedural transparency and institutional adaptability is the key to maintaining effective governance of international organizations in the future. This study will help deepen the understanding of how international organizations play a role in the volatile global political situation, and provide enlightenment for Multilateral Governance Reform.

Keywords:

international organizations, great power rivalry, institutional power, global governance, multilateralism

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