Building Blocks as Stumbling Blocks: The Geopolitics of Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs)

• In Event: The Politics of International Trade and Investment Institutions

Brief Overview

Our paper introduces and analyzes a novel dataset of TIFAs; shallow agreements meant to lead to BITs and PTAs. However, we find they never do. Moreover, when these subsequent agreements fail to materialize, bilateral relations greatly deteriorate.

Authors

• Lauren Konken, Princeton University

• Shea Minter, Georgetown University

• Haillie Na-Kyung Lee, Seoul National University