NORMS RECONSTITUTING INTERESTS - GLOBAL RACIAL EQUALITY AND US SANCTIONS AGAINST SOUTH-AFRICA

The extraordinary success of transnational anti-apartheid activists in generating great power sanctions against South Africa offers ample ev idence that norms, independent of strategic and economic consideration s, are an important factor in determining states' policies. The crucia l role of a strengthened global norm of racial equality in motivating U.S. anti-apartheid sanctions illustrates the limitations of conventio nal international relations theories, which rely primarily on structur al and material interest explanations, and supports theoretically deri ved constructivist claims. In particular, this case suggests that anal ysts should examine the role of global norms in defining states' inter ests, rather than viewing norms solely as external constraints on stat e behavior.