Martha Finnemore

Martha Finnemore is an American constructivist scholar of international relations, and professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. She is best known for her books National Interests in International Society, The Purpose of Intervention, and Rules for the World (with Michael N. Barnett), which helped to pioneer constructivism. she is professor of political science and international affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs of George Washington University in Washington, D. C..

Early life and education Martha Finnemore completed her B.A. at Harvard. This was followed first by an M.A. in government, with distinction, from the University of Sydney, Australia, in 1984, and then another M.A. in political science (1988) from Stanford University. In 1992 she earned a Ph.D. from Stanford.

Career Finnemore has held research appointments at the Brookings Institution and Stanford University.

she is professor of political science and international affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs of George Washington University.

In Rules for the World (co-authored by Michael Barnett; 2004), Finnemore and Barnett argue that international organizations derive power and autonomy from their rational-legal authority and control of information. International organizations are therefore purposive social agents that can act inconsistently with the intentions of the founders of the organizations (which are often states). In contrast to some realist and liberal theories of international relations, Barnett and Finnemore show that international organizations are not just a reflection of state interests and that they do not necessarily act efficiently. International organizations can develop bureaucratic cultures that result in adverse outcomes (what they call "pathologies"). They list five mechanisms that breed organizational pathologies:

Irrationality of rationalization: when an organization sticks to existing rules and procedures regardless of circumstances rather than act in ways most appropriate for the circumstances Universalism: the application of universal rules and categories may not reflect specific contexts Normalization of deviance: deviations from existing rules can become normalized and lead to aberrational behaviors Organizational insulation: when organizations do not get feedback from the environment about their performance and are unable to update their behavior Cultural contestation: different cultures within an organization may lead to clashes that produce adverse outcomes

Her 1998 study, co-authored with Kathryn Sikkink, on the life cycle of norms is among the most cited articles published in International Organization, the leading International Relations journal. Finnemore and Sikkink identify three stages in the life cycle of a norm:

Norm emergence: Norm entrepreneurs seek to persuade others to adopt their ideas about what is desirable and appropriate Norm cascade: When a norm has broad acceptance, with norm leaders pressuring others to adopt and adhere to the norm Norm internalization: When the norm has acquired a "taken-for-granted" quality where compliance with the norm is nearly automatic

Her scholarship has highlighted the role of norms and culture in international politics, as well as shown that international organizations are consequential and purposive social agents in world politics that can shape state interests.

Recognition and awards According to a review of her 1996 book National Interests in International Society, Finnemore became "the first scholar of international relations to offer a sustained, systematic empirical argument in support of the constructivist claim that international normative structures matter in world politics." an earlier survey of over 1000 American international relations faculty also ranked her similarly in both categories.

In 2011, she was elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. for "high-quality, pioneering scholarship that pushes the boundaries of the discipline with a deep commitment to service, especially teaching and mentoring." . Winner, American Political Science Association's Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award for the best book on government, politics, or international affairs, 2004. . Winner, International Studies Association Book Award, 2006, and Academic Council of the United Nations System Book Award, 2007.