University / Organisation : Dauphine-PSL

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Title : Structural Embeddedness and the Diffusion of Digital Trade Rules: Evidence from a Global Network of Bilateral Agreements

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Abstract : This study investigates the evolution of transnational digital trade governance through the lens of endogenous network dynamics. While legal scholarship has extensively examined the design of digital trade provisions and their incorporation into multilateral frameworks, less is known about the relational processes through which such rules spread across countries over time. To investigate these dynamics, the paper adopts an endogenous network approach, theorizing that states’ prior cooperation structures condition their future partner selection in rule-making. Focusing empirically on bilateral digital trade agreements (DTAs)—the most observable and flexible format of digital cooperation—the study constructs a panel dataset of all bilateral DTAs signed between 2000 and 2025, drawing from TAPED. A stochastic actororiented model (SAOM) is used to evaluate how triadic closure, actor centrality, and partner similarity shape agreement formation. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of how patterns of international cooperation emerge in the digital domain, and offer practical insights for navigating institutional fragmentation and strategic interdependence in global digital governance.