Regulation is often viewed as a two-party relationship between a regulator (R) and the target (T) of its regulation. This volume purposes regulation as a three-party system, where diverse intermediaries (I) provide assistance to regulators and/or the target, by drawing on their own capabilities, authority, and legitimacy. The authors refer to this system as the “RIT model.”
This volume of The ANNALS introduces examples of regulation that support the RIT model and examples that extend and build on the model. The RIT model is not limited to the activities of regulatory agencies, or even of the state. Rather, it characterizes all forms of regulation. Some of the cases discussed in this volume include food safety regulation, credit rating agencies, regulation of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and rule intermediaries in global labor governance.
