Selective Multilateralism: How States Pick and Choose Global Rules

In this commentary, BIPSS Research Associate Mohosina Mostofa Mity examines the growing phenomenon of selective multilateralism, where states increasingly support international cooperation while strategically choosing which global rules and institutions to follow. The analysis explores emerging trends such as norm shopping, minilateral coalitions, the influence of digital platforms on global governance, and the gradual fragmentation of the rules-based order. It also discusses how these dynamics are reshaping international cooperation and what future governance structures may look like in an increasingly complex global system.