Political Economy of Nanotechnology Regulation in Developing Countries

• In Event: The Political Economy of Economic Diversification

Abstract

Political Economy of Nanotechnology Regulation in Developing Countries
In the global economy, developing countries have joined the global trend toward creating new rules for nanotechnology. Over 60 countries, rich and developing, established new national nanotechnology initiatives in a very short period of time in the early 2000s. While conventional wisdom emphasizes technological uniqueness and strength of global markets, analyzing patents and publications, these approaches overlook the importance of politics and transnational networks. When and how do countries create rules for emerging technology, especially those with significant potential for economic growth and environmental politics? I argue that while creating new nanotechnology policies can be relatively easy in developing countries, from a state-led, market-oriented perspective, the implementation of these new rules relies on both national regulatory regimes and the context of transnational diffusion networks, specifically how countries participate in global networks of information, harmonization, and regulators.
This paper makes three contributions. First, in contrast to most of the literature on nanotechnology innovation, the paper opens up the “black box” of how innovations spread in global markets by examining specific pathways for reform – transnational diffusion – information, harmonization and regulator networks. Second, I analyze the divergence in nanotechnology rules in key developing countries from a comparative perspective, emphasizing the importance of national-level regulatory regimes.
The first part develops the conceptual framework, building on the literature on transnational diffusion networks and national regulatory regimes. After explaining the methodological approach, the paper then turns to comparative case studies of the five BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries from 2000-2016. The paper concludes with an analysis and a discussion of the main general lessons. This research fills important gaps in the empirical and theoretical literature on global markets in developing countries, specifically in the areas of emerging technology that affects the environment, health, and economic growth. The paper emphasizes how, when, and to what extent political factors at multiple levels of governance can accelerate or block policy change.

Author

• Kirsten L. Rodine-Hardy, Northeastern University