Introduction: Writing histories of the OECD

Abstract

The Introduction provides a historically grounded perspective on the OEEC/OECD, gives an overview of the state of the art of historical research on this organization, and explains the logic of the parts of the book, bringing key conclusions of all its chapters together. Based on years of research and summarizing the existing literature on the history of the OECD not only in English, but also in German and French, the Introduction proposes a research agenda for analyzing the OECD. This research agenda goes beyond existing accounts by highlighting long-term dynamics and power structures that continue to shape this organization until today.