RASP: Research and Analysis of Standardization Processes Research Group agenda
Speakers and presentation titles:
9:45 - 10:10: Jeffrey Ding (George Washington University), U.S.-China economic interdependence has not declined — it has standardized!
10:10 - 10:35: Bryan Newbold (Bluesky) "Interoperation in the AT Protocol Ecosystem"
10:35 - 11:00: Karim Attoumani Mohamed (ISOC Comoros), "Mapping the Gap: Quantifying Barriers to African Participation in IETF Standardization"
Bios and abstracts:
Abstract: Great power competition is in the air, and technological decoupling is all around. Many commentators and scholars presume that U.S.-China technological decoupling is well underway, making the bifurcation of the global technological system an inevitability. This article challenges that expectation. Global standards development organizations (SDOs) serve as a buffer against fragmentation, since actors that seek to set up alternative networks or exclude rivals from established ones will lose out on the economies of scale and scope offered by globally interoperable standards. The legitimacy of these SDOs, supported by their highly technical and open procedures, reinforces these headwinds against decoupling. To show that U.S.-China economic interdependence has only increased in network technologies governed by these SDOs, this paper analyzes the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). It presents evidence from expert interviews, a case study of China’s fraught efforts to develop alternative internet protocols outside of the IETF (“New IP” proposal), and a network analysis of author affiliations in Request for Comments from 2010 to 2024.
Bio: Jeffrey Ding is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. His book Technology and the Rise of Great Powers was published with Princeton University Press in 2024. Ding’s research covers interstate cooperation and competition in emerging technologies, with a focus on artificial intelligence. He received his PhD in 2021 from the University of Oxford and earned his B.A. in 2016 at the University of Iowa.
Bio: Bryan Newbold is a Protocol Engineer at Bluesky Social. He contributes to the design and specification of AT Protocol, as well as implementation and operation of open network services.
Abstract: This presentation shares findings from the Africa IGF 2025 session on IETF participation barriers, where only 0.24% of RFCs have African co-authors. Using new data on geographic, linguistic, and structural hurdles, we propose: A metrics framework to track underrepresented regions’ engagement; Policy-aware protocol development strategies; RASPRG research opportunities to analyze participation drivers. Goal: Spark collaborative solutions for truly global standards processes.
Bio: Karim Attoumani Mohamed is a Digital Governance Expert and ISOC Comoros Vice President. His research focuses on inclusive Internet governance, with recent work presented at Africa IGF 2025. An IETF 122 alum (ISOC Policymakers Program), he authors draft-attoumani-ietf-inclusion on equitable participation.