What the study found
The study finds that U.S. refusal to agree to Appellate Body judge appointments has disabled WTO dispute settlement and changed how governmental rationalities operate in global trade. It also finds that this does not signal the end of neoliberalism or neoliberal hegemony in international trade.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say the WTO dispute settlement system was central to the neoliberalization of global trade and to the establishment of neoliberal hegemony in this area. They conclude that the U.S. strategy appears to redistribute discretion and redefine discipline within the neoliberal framework rather than move toward post-neoliberalism.
What the researchers tested
The study examines the WTO's appellate crisis and uses data to assess the effects of the U.S. refusal to support judge appointments. It combines the Gramscian concepts of hegemony and historic bloc with a Foucauldian analysis of governmentality to interpret global trade governance.
What worked and what didn't
The study reports that the WTO dispute settlement system has been disabled because appeals can no longer be guaranteed. It also reports that the U.S. derives strategic advantages from this situation in its international trade relations. The study found a transformation in the ways governmental rationalities become effective in global trade, but not an end to neoliberalism.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed limitations beyond the scope of the argument. The findings are presented within the context of WTO trade governance and the U.S. role in the appellate body crisis.
Key points
- U.S. refusal to appoint WTO Appellate Body judges has disabled the dispute settlement system.
- The study says this leaves no guaranteed way to resolve trade disputes once and for all in court.
- The authors state that the U.S. gains strategic advantages in international trade relations from this situation.
- The findings indicate a change in how governmental rationalities operate in global trade.
- The study does not see this as the end of neoliberalism or neoliberal hegemony.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- U.S. obstruction reshapes WTO trade adjudication
- Authors:
- Ralf Havertz
- Institutions:
- Keimyung College University, Keimyung University
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-02
- OpenAlex record:
- View
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with peer-reviewed research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.