Between Organization and Environment: Conceptualizing the Observer Category of International Organizations

International organizations operate within dynamic and complex environments where cooperation, overlap, and interaction with other actors are inevitable. While studies on inter-organizational relations have often focused on such cooperation, the category of observers within international organizations has seldom been thoroughly examined. This presentation aims to introduce a conceptualization of the observer category from an open systems perspective (Scott 1992) and considers it as an intermediary space between the organization and its immediate environment. It offers a theoretical framework for understanding what observing entails and how it functions. I argue that observers are neither members of the international organization nor simply partners for cooperation; they occupy an intermediary position and exist at the organizational boundaries of an international organization. Consequently, this presentation approaches observers through the sociological neo-institutionalist lens and the concepts of organizational boundaries. To gain a deeper understanding of how observers position themselves within international organizations, I examine the case of the Arctic Council and its state and non-state observers. Given the Arctic Council’s large number of observers and highly regulated observer rules, it provides valuable insights into how observers can be integrated into organizational structures and why they engage in close cooperation. By conceptualizing observers, I address both similarities and differences in the modes of interaction and characteristics of the observer category, such as flexibility, durability, and purpose. This concept is based on a broader comparative study of observers in the Arctic Council, involving the analysis of expert interviews, official documents, and secondary literature. This presentation contributes to research on international organizations and organizational sociology by highlighting a specific form of close inter-organizational cooperation.