ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews seven theories that all focus on the constitution of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), but vary in the factors they propose to explain such constitution are, norms and representation, national origin, state interests, stakeholder accountability, position in the NGO hierarchy, macro-historical waves and hegemonic power structures. Indeed, many International Relations scholars are attracted to NGO research with the motivation to research and celebrate NGOs wielding the power of progressive norms and ideas to transform world politics. Theories of accountability for NGOs go well beyond principal-agent theory. The central argument is that organizational placement on the NGO hierarchy constrains strategic choices for both those at the top and those at the bottom. At the opposite end of an agency-structure spectrum from simplistic pluralist accounts that emphasize NGO agency while almost erasing the reality of social structure, there are extreme structuralist accounts that almost erase the possibility of NGO agency.
