Bio

Luc Fransen is Associate Professor of International Relations and member of the Political Economy and Transnational Governance (PETGOV) Research Group as well as the Transnational Configurations, Conflict and Governance (TCCG) Research Group. He received his PhD in Social Sciences at the University of Amsterdam in 2010 and has held research and teaching positions at the European University Institute, the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS), Yale University, Leiden University and the Amsterdam Institute for International Development.

Luc's research has been funded by the Dutch Science Association (NWO), the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at EUI, the Royal Dutch Academy for the Sciences (KNAW), and the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study (NIAS).

He has also finished commissioned research for amongst others the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Dutch Environmental Assessment Agency, the United Nations Council on Trade and Development, Oxfam, the Bertelsmann Foundation and the German Development Agency GIZ.

In recent past, Luc has been co-editor of the European Journal of International Relations, board member of the PETGOV research group and director of the Master programmes in Political Science at UvA.

Luc Fransen's research focuses on the global organization of production, and the regulation of worker rights, human rights and environmental sustainability in global supply chains. He is also interested in the transnational organization of civil society activism. Empirical cases include countries in Europe, North America, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Next to his monograph Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Labor Standards, his work has been published in Governance, Socio-Economic Review, Review of International Political Economy, Regulation & Governance, Policy Sciences, Global Networks, Global Policy, Politics & Governance, Ecological Economics, Organization, British Journal of Industrial Relations, European Journal of Industrial Relations, Business and Society, and Journal of Business Ethics.

Ongoing Projects

1. Protecting People and Planet Through Supply Chain Legislation (funded through an NWO Open Competitie M grant)

Governments across Europe and North America currently introduce binding legislation for buying firm’s duties to protect labor, human rights and the environment in global supply chains. This project investigates whether contemporary global supply chains as an economic structure facilitate such law’s intended effects. If we observe that these laws target only larger firms in a market, and that many countries in the world have not initiated such legislations for buying firms, nor observable ambitions at present to do so, will such legal obligations on buying firms make a positive difference in global supply chains? Output includes collaborative work with Diliara Valeeva. 

2. The Effectiveness of Supply Chain Regulations (funded by the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research)

What are the observable effects of supply chain regulations on corporations in terms of their efforts to protect human rights, worker rights and environmental sustainability? Does it matter for corporate practices whether regulations are more stringent? Output includes collaborative work with Max Joosten, Genevieve LeBaron, Andreas Ruehmkorf, Ans Kolk, Victor Hartman, Khadija van der Straaten, Kea Tijdens, Anne Lally and Martin Curley.

3. Modelling the future of global supply chains in light of emerging environmental sustainability regulations (funded by the UvA Sustainable Prosperity grant scheme)

The global economy’s current organization of supply chains poses environmental challenges and is vulnerable to environmental change. New legislation is holding firms responsible for environmental harm, but little is known about the firms’ adjustments to supply chains. 

This project reveals the potential of legislation around sustainable supply chains and aims to project into the future how supply chains may change as a result of law and a range of other factors. The findings may prove valuable to businesses, civil society, and governments who are looking to develop strategies and regulatory instruments for sustainable supply chains. Output includes collaborative work with Diliara Valeeva, Klaas Eller, Mike Lees, Martin Curley and Anne Lally. 

4. Transnational Advocacy Networks and the Challenge of Anti-NGO Regulation (funded through an NWO-WOTRO grant)

This project investigates the degree to which the rise of anti-NGO regulation across the world affects the organization of cross-border advocacy by civil society organizations focused on environmental sustainability, development and human rights issues. Output includes collaborative work with Kendra Dupuy, Marja Hinfelaar and Zakaria Mazumder and focuses on developments in Bangladesh and Zambia. 

Luc has teaching experience in the subfields of International Relations, Political Economy, Political Theory, Public Administration, and Social Science Methodology.

In 2023-2024, Luc will teach a Master Thesis Research Project, a Bachelor elective on Corporate Responsibility, co-teach a Bachelor Research Project on Corporations and NGOs, as well as contribute to the courses Green Economy and Society and Law and Politics.

International ISI-ranked peer-reviewed journal articles:

• Langford, N. J., & Fransen, L. (2022). Building legitimacy in an era of polycentric trade: The case of transnational sustainability governance. Politics and Governance, 10(3), 155-166.
• Fransen, L., Dupuy, K., Hinfelaar, M., & Zakaria Mazumder, S. M. (2021). Tempering Transnational Advocacy? The Effect of Repression and Regulatory Restriction on Transnational NGO Collaborations. Global Policy, 12, 11-22.https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12972
• Dupuy, K., Fransen, L., & Prakash, A. (2021). Restricting NGOs: From Pushback to Accommodation. Global Policy, 12, 5-10. doi: 10.1111/1758-5899.12974 
• Serdijn, M., Kolk, A., & Fransen, L. 2020. Uncovering missing links in global value chain research–and implications for corporate social responsibility and international business. Critical perspectives on international business, https://doi.org/10.1108/cpoib-01-2020-0002.
• Fransen, L., Kolk, A., & Rivera-Santos, M. 2019. The multiplicity of international corporate social responsibility standards. Multinational Business Review,  Vol. 27 No. 4, pp. 397-426.
• Schleifer, P., Fiorini, M., & Fransen, L. 2019. Missing the Bigger Picture: A Population-level Analysis of Transnational Private Governance Organizations Active in the Global South. Ecological Economics, 164, 106362.
• Fransen, L., Schalk, J., Kok, M., Voora, V., Potts, J., Joosten, M., Schleifer, P. & Auld, G. 2019. Biodiversity Protection through Networks of Voluntary Sustainability Standard Organizations? Sustainability, 10(12), 4379, https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/12/4379.
• Fransen, L. W., & LeBaron, G. 2018. Big Audit Firms as Regulatory Intermediaries in Transnational Labor Governance. Regulation & Governance. DOI: 10.1111/rego.12224 
• Fransen, L. 2018. Beyond regulatory governance? On the evolutionary trajectory of transnational private sustainability governance. Ecological Economics.
• Fransen, L., J. Schalk and G. Auld. 2018. Community Structure and the Behavior of Transnational Sustainability Governors: Towards a Multi-Relational Approach. Regulation & Governance.
• Fransen, L. and B. Burgoon. 2017. Public and Private Labor Standards Policy in the Global Economy. Global Policy, DOI: 10.1111/1758-5899.12406.
• Burgoon, B. and L. Fransen. 2017. Support for Ethical Consumerism and Welfare States in the Global Economy: Complements or Substitutes? Global Policy,  DOI 10.1111/1758-5899.12407.
• Burgoon, B. and L. Fransen. 2017. Might Corporate Social Responsibility Hollow-out Public Assistance in Europe? British Journal of Industrial Relations, DOI 10.1111/bjir.12227.
•  Fransen, L., J. Schalk and G. Auld. 2016. Work ties beget community? Assessing interactions among transnational private governance organizations in sustainable agriculture. Global Networks, https://doi.org/10.1111/glob.12097.
• Fransen, L. 2015. The politics of meta-governance in transnational private sustainability governance. Policy Sciences, DOI 10.1007/s11077-015-9219-8.
• Fransen, L. and T. Conzelmann. 2015. Fragmented or cohesive transnational private regulation of sustainability standards? A comparative study. Regulation & Governance. DOI: 10.1111/rego.12055.
• Fransen, L. and B. Burgoon. 2015. Global labor standard advocacy by European Civil Society Organizations: Trends and developments. British Journal of Industrial Relations. DOI: 10.1111/bjir.12017.
• Fransen, L. and Burgoon, B. 2014. Privatizing or socializing Corporate Responsibility? Business & Society, DOI: 10.1177/0007650313475784.
• Fransen, L. 2013. The embeddedness of responsible business practice: Exploring the interaction between national-institutional environments and Corporate Social Responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics, DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1395-2. 
• Fransen, L. 2012. Multi-stakeholder governance and voluntary programme interactions. Socio-Economic Review, 10:1, pp. 163-192.
• Fransen, L. and Burgoon, B. 2012. A market for worker rights: Explaining business support for international private labour regulation. Review of International Political Economy, 19 (2): 236 -266.
•  Fransen, L. 2011. Why do private governance organizations not converge? A political-institutional analysis of transnational labor standards regulation. Governance, 24:2, pp. 359-387.
• Kocer, R. G. and Fransen, L. 2009. Codes of conduct and the promise of a change of climate in worker organization. European Journal of Industrial Relations, 15:3, pp. 237-256.
•  Fransen, L. and Kolk, A. 2007. Global rule-setting for business: A critical analysis of multi-stakeholder standards. Organization, 14:5, pp. 667-684.

Monograph:

• Fransen, L. 2012 (paperback version 2015). Corporate Social Responsibility and global labor standards: Firms and activists in the making of private regulation. New York: Routledge.

PhD thesis:

• Fransen, L. May 20 2010. Minding their own business? Firms and activists in the making of private labour regulation. PhD Thesis, University of Amsterdam

Policy research report: 

• Fransen L. and D. de Winter. 2015. The effectiveness of policy influencing, lobby and advocacy on Corporate Social Responsibility: Three case studies of PILA activities promoting global labor standards. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (Inspectie Ontwikkelingssamenwerking en Beleidsevaluatie).

Chapters in edited volumes:

• Fransen, L. 2013. Global companies in the private regulation of global labor standards. In Mikler J. (ed.), Global Policy Handbooks: Global Companies. Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 437-454.
• Fransen, L. 2006. Maatschappelijk Verantwoord Ondernemen: pressie op bedrijven [Corporate Social Responsibility: pressure on corporations]. In Tonkens, E., M. , Ham en J. Uitermark (eds.), Handboek Moraliseren [Handbook of Applying Norms], Amsterdam: Van Gennep, pp. 138-151.

National non-refereed academic journals:

• Fransen, L. 2012. Multi-stakeholderbestuur en Maatschappelijk Verantwoord Ondernemen [ Multi-Stakeholder Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility]. Res Publica, 54: 2, pp. 257-261.

Working paper

• Fransen, L. 2012. The embeddedness of European responsible business practice: national institutions, policy and Corporate Social Responsibility. Osgoode CLPE Research Paper No. 14/2012.

Review essay

• Fransen, L. Neo-liberal globalism and social sustainable globalization. 2008. Contemporary Sociology, 7:4, pp. 497-499.

Selected invited lectures and conference presentations

·         Fransen, L. 2013. Transnational Public-Private Regimes: A political economic perspective. Presented at the International Studies Association Annual Conference in San Francisco, April 3 2013.

·         Fransen, L. 2012. The politics of meta-standard setting in transnational sustainability governance. Prepared for the American Political Science Association Annual Conference New Orleans, August 30 2012.

·         Fransen, L. and T. Conzelmann. 2012. Fragmented or uniform transnational voluntary regulation of sustainability standards? A comparative study. Presented at the ECPR Regulation and Governance Bi-Annual Conference, University of Exeter, June 29 2012.

·         Fransen, L. 2012. Global companies in the private regulation of global labor standards. Presented at Penn State University Global Worker Rights Workshop, March 27 2012.

·         Fransen, L. and B. Burgoon. 2012. Global labor standard advocacy by European Civil Society Organizations: Trends and developments. Presented at the International Studies Association Annual Conference in San Diego, March 30 2012.

·         Fransen, 2011. The embeddedness of responsible business practice: National institutions and Corporate Social Responsibility. Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE) Annual Conference, Madrid, June 2011.

·         Fransen, L. 2011. Multi-stakeholder governance and business driven programs in Corporate Social Responsibility. Private Governance and its Global Implementation workshop, Freie Universitat Berlin, February 4-5 2011.

·         Fransen, L. 2010. Are business-driven programs becoming multi-stakeholder governed? Lecture at the Centre for Business and Politics at Copenhagen Business School, November 2010.

·         Fransen, L. 2008 . Understanding patterns of business support in private governance. Lecture at the Political Science Seminar of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), April 2008.

·         Fransen, L. 2008. Dynamics of private regulatory competition. Lecture at the Global Governance Seminar of the Yale School of Management, Yale University, March 2008.