ABSTRACT
The individual chapters in this volume all testify to its central claim that a renewed interest in decision making within international organizations can help in accounting for the extent to which international civil servants make use of the policy freedom they enjoy and for the contents of the organization’s policies. In this chapter we will first explore the usefulness of the suggestion we put forward in chapter 1, namely that a focus on decision making requires the recognition of a so-called principal-agent baseline, a pragmatic attitude towards the rationalist-constructivist divide and a fresh interest in middle-range theories. Next, we will discuss the results of the individual contributions in terms of the six elements of decision making this volume has focused on, as well as some themes not covered. Finally, we will address the research questions formulated at the outset of this journey.
