L6: United Nations and Contemporary Global Governance

intergovernmental organizations

term commonly used to refer International Organization

International Organization

The term is commonly used to refer to intergovernmental organizations or groups that are primarily made up of member-states

Major Fallacy

That they are merely amalgamations of various states interests.

Major Fallacy

In the 1960s and 1970s, for example, many scholars believed that IOs were just venues where the contradicting but sometimes intersecting agenda of countries were discussed

IOs

Major Fallacy

To the contrary, what has become more evident is that ___ (e.g. IMF) can take on lives of their own and can become influential as independent organizations.

Major Fallacy

To the contrary, what has become more evident is that IOs (e.g. IMF) can take on lives of their own and can become influential as independent organizations.

the power of classification

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

First is the ____

the power of classification

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

Because IOs can invent and apply categories, they create powerful standards

the power of classification

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

For example, it is in the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that defines what a refugee is.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

it is in the ____ that defines what a refugee is.

the ability to change meaning of words

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

Second, IOs have _____

IOs

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

are seen as legitimate sources of information for states, organizations, and individuals.

the ability to change meaning of words

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

As a result, the meaning they generate have an impact on a variety of policie

the ability to change meaning of words

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

•For example, UN has started to define “security” as not just safety from military violence but also safety from environmental harm. 

security

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

UN has started to define “____” as not just safety from military violence but also safety from environmental harm.

the power to diffuse/spread norm

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

Third, IOs have 

Norms

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

____ are accepted codes of conduct that may not be strict laws but produce regularity in behavior.

power to diffuse norms

The Powers of International Organizations (IOs)

Their ____ stems from the fact that IOs are staffed with independent bureaucracies, who are considered experts in various fields

United Nations

The most prominent International Organization in the contemporary world.

United Nations

Created after the collapse of the League of Nations at the end of Word War II.

League of Nations; Word War II

United Nations Created after the collapse of the ____ at the end of ____.

to avert/prevent another global war

United nations’ primary goal

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SECURITY COUNCIL (SC)

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

International Court of Justice

Secretariat

5 Active Organs of the United Nations

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

the main deliberative policymaking and representative organ

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Decides on important questions such as:

•Peace and security,

•Admission of new members,

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Budgetary matters

Budgetary matters

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Which require a two-thirds majority of the General Assembl

two-thirds majority

Budgetary matters

•Which require a ____ of the General Assembly

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Budgetary matters

Which require a two-thirds majority of the

193

number of seats in GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SECURITY COUNCIL

Many critics believe that Security Council is the most powerful.

SECURITY COUNCIL

15 members

15

number of members in SC

SECURITY COUNCIL

is in charge of evaluating whether a threat to the peace or an act of aggression exists.

SECURITY COUNCIL

It encourages the concerned parties to resolve their differences through peaceful ways and suggests measures for adjustment or terms of settlement.

Security Council

it can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorizing the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

The principal body of coordination, policy review, policy dialogue, and recommendations on social and environmental issues, as well as the implementation of internationally agreed development goals

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

It has 54 members elected for three-year term.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

It is the UN’s central platform for discussion on sustainable development

54 members; three-year term

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) It has ____ elected for ____

International Court of Justice

Whose task is “to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by states and to give advisory opinions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies

International Court of Justice

The major cases of the court consist of disputes between states that voluntarily submit themselves to the court for arbitration.

International Court of Justice

The Security Council may enforce the rulings of the ____, but this remains subject to the Permanent 5’s (P5) veto power.

Security Council

may enforce the rulings of the ICJ, but this remains subject to the Permanent 5’s (P5) veto power.

Secretariat

Consists of the “Secretary-General and tens of thousands of international UN staff members who carry out the day-to-day work of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly and the organization’s other principal organs.”

Secretariat

Members of the ____ serve in their capacity as UN employees, not as state representatives

respect state sovereignty

Challenges of the United Nations

The need to 

world government; voluntary cooperation

Challenges of the United Nations

The UN is not a ____, and it functions primarily because of ____ from states

severely circumscribed

Challenges of the United Nations

If states refuse to cooperate, the influence of the UN can be

issues of security

Challenges of the United Nations

•The UN’s greatest difficulty may be attributed to

UN Security Council

Challenges of the United Nations

As previously stated, the ___ is responsible for sanctioning international military intervention.

China, France, Russia, UK, and US

Permanent 5’s

Security Council

Challenges of the United Nations

•But because of the Permanent 5’s (China, France, Russia, UK, and US) veto authority, the ___ finds it difficult to issue formal resolution, let alone implement it.