Diffusing norms, facing friction: International non-governmental organisations and the struggle of global governance efforts

Abstract

International non-governmental organisations rely on nationally embedded affiliates to advance global norms, yet relationships between headquarters and national chapters sometimes end in organisational rupture. Why do nationally embedded affiliates shift from voice to exit? This article addresses this question through a comparative study of Transparência Brasil and Uruguay Transparente, two former chapters of Transparency International (TI). Drawing on interviews, document analysis and a Most Different Systems Design, it shows that despite operating in markedly different contexts, both chapters followed a similar trajectory: persistent tensions over organisational priorities, modes of action and internal governance gradually eroded loyalty, while the absence of effective mechanisms to mediate these differences led to the disaffiliation of both chapters from TI’s network. These findings contribute to debates on the governance of international non-governmental organisations by showing how unresolved tensions between global coordination and local autonomy can lead nationally embedded affiliates to shift from voice to exit.