In the social sciences, politics and market are usually studied as separate systems. In recent decades, however, certain market actors tried to be more socially responsibility, and participated to an increasing extent in activities earlier considered political. These changes can be described in terms of the development of a new public domain in which the boundaries between the two systems are not as clear.

At the global level, the World Economic Forum (WEF) is a central actor in this public domain. This project analyses the Forum and its associated think tanks as an actor, between market and politics. How do participants and organizers balance economic rationality and social responsibility? How do they create authority and legitimacy for themselves as political actors? What do the global organization forms look like when they act politically: who takes part, what issues do they pursue, and what solutions are put forward?

From an empirical standpoint, the project is interested in the cognitive praxis articulated by the activities. Data will be collected from three settings: the Forum’s secretariat, its externally oriented activities, and the participants’ home work environments.
The project will generate knowledge on the role of transnational firms in global politics, and the findings will be published in monographs and scientific journals.