Negotiations between governments shape the world political economy and in turn the lives of people everywhere. Developing countries have become far more influential in talks in the World Trade Organization, including infamous stalemates in Seattle in 1999 and Cancún in 2003, as well as bilateral and regional talks like those that created NAFTA. Yet social science does not understand well enough the process of negotiation, and least of all the roles of developing countries, in these situations. This 2006 book sheds light on three aspects of this otherwise opaque process: the strategies developing countries use; coalition formation; and how they learn and influence other participants' beliefs. This book will be valuable for many readers interested in negotiation, international political economy, trade, development, global governance, or international law. Developing country negotiators and those who train them will find practical insights on how to avoid pitfalls and negotiate better.

'Now that the developing countries are negotiating their trade liberalization in bilateral and multilateral contexts, after decades of opting out, they must learn the kinds of strategic bargaining behaviour that the richer countries have developed over the course of postwar trade liberalization largely among themselves. This book, under the leadership of John Odell, a most distinguished political scientist with a remarkable track record in analyzing trade policy, enables them to do just that, drawing on recent experience of the developing countries also. It is not merely fascinating; it is also an invaluable resource book for the leadership of the developing countries.'

Jagdish Bhagwati - Columbia University; author of In Defense of Globalization

'By focusing attention on the strategies employed by the developing world in trade talks, Odell enriches out understanding of trade negotiations. This unique collection of wide ranging articles by recognized experts in the field will be indispensable to scholars on the GATT-WTO system and is a sure read for anyone interested in contemporary trade issues.'

Judith Goldstein - Department of Political Science, Stanford University

'… the Odell studies attempt to develop hypotheses and a future research agenda … the book is a major landmark in this field: clarifying what is known and identifying what type of evidence will take the analysis further.'

Source: Development Policy Review

'… it is a path-breaking book, and it is hoped that researchers in developing countries will take inspiration from it and explore multilateral trade negotiations more extensively.'

Source: International Studies

'This collection is clearly one of the highlights among recent publications on the trade regime and will be a rewarding and enriching read for any scholar of the trading system. It brings together an enviable mix of excellent contributors, a coherent and explicit theoretical framework, rich empirical studies, and consistent argument. There is little doubt that it will quickly become established as a key text on the importance of negotiating processes in international relations.'

Source: International and Comparative Law Quarterly