Hierarchy, Differentiation, and Cooperation in the Regime Complex for Global Private Security Governance

How does regime complexity shape inter-institutional cooperation? I argue that the level of hierarchy
and differentiation that emerges among the institutions within regime complexes shape the level of cooperation
among them. In addition, hierarchy and differentiation in regime complexes also impact the
specific patterns of cooperative relations that emerge among their components. I explore the explanatory
power of my argument using the regime complex for the global governance of private security
as a case study. Empirically, I draw on a unique dataset of institutional documents from the public
websites of the institutions in the global private security regime complex and other originally collected
data. I trace and explain the development of hierarchy and differentiation within the complex
between 2000 and 2020. To empirically test my theoretical argument about the effect of hierarchy
and differentiation on cooperation within regime complexes, I use machine learning methods, social
network analysis, and statistical analysis. I find that both differentiation and hierarchy have shaped the
patterns of cooperative relations among the institutions in the regime complex throughout its lifetime.
The paper contributes to scholarship on regime complexity, global governance, and private security
governance.