International Geneva

Multilateralism

Basis of international trade and finances — cooperation among 3 or more states, preferred method of diplomacy for smaller states

Global Governance

global system of institutions, norms, rules, and processes by which global issues are handled

Bilateralism

cooperation between two states, usually large powers, with a higher probability of reaching an agreement

5 hubs of expertise in International Geneva

Peace: Peace, Security, and Disarmament

Humanitarianism: Humanitarian action, Humanitarian Law, Human rights, and Migration

Advancements: Labour, economics, trade, science, telecommunications

Health: Health

Sustainability: Environment and sustainable development

International Geneva

42 IOs

497 NGOs

184 States Represented by permanent mission

16 Platforms

Westphalia Treaties

ended the Hundred Year’s war in 1648: the first example of a multilateral solution

Concert of Europe

AKA the Vienna Congress of 1815, ended the Napoleonic Wars, another early example of multilateralism

1st Geneva Convention

1864: Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition for the Wounded in the Armies

International Labour Organization

established in 1919 at the Paris Peace Conference: oldest specialized agency of International Geneva

globalization

increasing global interconnectedness, characterized by the technological revolution, cheaper ways of transportation, facile telecommunication, and the high level of global production and trade

5 main actors of global governance

States

IOs

NGOs

Multinational Corporations

Networks and Partnerships

International Organization

organization with 3+ member states, formed by a formal constitutive agreement, and that have a permanent secretariat

non-governmental organization

national or international nonprofit org that provdes expertise and information, either advocated for a specific cause or provides services (like humanitarian aid)

Rules and Law

are binding

soft laws and norms

are not binding, global governance has shifted towards the use of soft laws as it is getting harder to agree on things

thematic crises of global governance

crises are becoming longer and more interconnected —> ex. emerging tech and AI, climate crisis, and global health crisis

structural weaknesses of global governance

weak enforcement of voluntary compliace, private sector expansion, and the model being based on an outdated world model (just after WWII)

Geneva Convention 1

1864: for the sick and wounded

• signed in l’Hotel de Ville in Genève, allowed international geneva to become a hub for international meetings

Geneva convention 2

1907: protect the sick and wounded at sea

Geneva convention 3

1929: protection for prisoners of war

Geneva convention4

1949: protection of civilians in times of war

Four main developments of International Geneva

Protestant Reformation

Foundation of the Red Cross in 1863

The League of Nations

The Creation of the Unite Nations

Protestant Reformation

1536, created the precedent of welcoming foreigners and ideas to Geneva, plus created an internationally connected city

The foundation of the Red Cross

1863 Henry Dunant after he witnessed the battle of Solferino, then founded in 1864 at the first Geneva Convention, then established additional protocols in 1977 and 2005

Alabama Arbitration

established GVA as a city of peace —> settled dispute between US and UK over civil war

The League of Nations

created primary from Wilson’s 14 points speech, ratified at the Paris Peace Conference via the Treaty of Verailles in 1919

The UN

ratified 26 June 1945 in San Francisco with 50 member states, now contains 193 member statees

3 main pillars of international peace

• Collective security

• Disarmament

• Peace through Law

concert of europe

an unformal organization that manages european relations that began in 1815; essentially prevented a general European war until 1914

Hague Conferences of 1899 and 1907

created the Permanent Court of Arbitration

French idea for global governance

Léon Bourgeois proposed international army — peace must be backed by fear

anglo-american vision

Based on moral obligation and public opinion

• based on Filimano plan of 1918 in UK and 14 points by Wilson

Article 10 of the League of Nations Covenant

established territorial integrity of each member state

LoN structural limits

32 founding members, 13 invited states, defeated powers not allowed to join, US never joined

Locarno Agreements

Allowed germany to join LoN in 1926 (they then left in 1933)

6 main economic and social concerns of the league

• humane labour conditions

• surpression the trafficking of women and children

• surpression of drug/opium trafficking

• maintaining freedom of communication and transit

• fair treatment of commerce

• Public Health

similarities between LoN and UN

• created after a world war by the victors

• influenced by an American president

• goal or global peace

• general assembly and a smaller council

continuities of the UN

• norm production

• rise of experts

• decolonization

5 major time periods of the UN

• 1945-1955: Western Domination

• 1956 - 1965: Tensions and Wars of Decolonization

• 1966-1985: marginalization in UN and new General Assembly

• 1986-2000: End of cold war, evolution of collective security

• 2000: Multilateralism in Crisis

Chapter IV of UN Charter

“Actions with respect to threats to the peace, breaches of peace, and acts of agression”, establishes that security council can act against threats of peace, but also grants veto rights to P5

P5

USA, UK, France, Russia, China

General Assembly Resolution 377

1950: UN attempt to overcome security council deadlock created by Russia’s use of vetos; GA can recommend collective secuirty measures

Gorbachev-Reagan Relations

allowed SC diplomacy to resume bc Russia stopped using their veto

Peacekeeping operations

established later by the UN to keep peace during humanitarian crises: three core principles

• consent of parties

• impartiality

• minimal use of force

types of missions:

• observation missions

• interposition missions

carries out by the “Blue Helmets” in conflict zones, but face mixed success due to neo-imperialism, sexual abuse, and ambiguous rules

important reports to shift the UN view towards a positive definition of peace

• Brandt - 1983, addressed inequality and North/South development

• Palme 1982, common security and disarmament

• Brutland 1987, sustainable development

number of world refugees as of 2025

42.5 million

Refugee

someone who leaves the country out of fear and cannot return, a granted legal status —> protected by the UNHCR

migrant

someone who moves temporarily across borders or within a country —> protected by the IOM

gradual emergence of the refugee category

• 2.5 M Jews flee Russian Empire in 1880s

• french protestants flee to Switzerland

turning point for refugee crisis

WWI: 7 million people in Europe displaced

The Nansen Passport

first example of multilateral refugee status, gave stateless Russians an international document for travelling (not settling)

Fridtjof Nansen

high commissioner for russian refugees, creator of Nansen Passport

Evian Conference

1938: Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees is formed and represents a weakening confidence in the League of Nations, as countries were turning towards other multilateral systems

United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration

created by 44 countries in 1943

international refugee organization

1946: first multidimensional organization, good, but only western europe included

UN High Commissioner for Refugees

1949

• Hungarian Uprising 1956

ma’arabot

refugee camp established in 1948 for Jewish refugees fleeing Arab states

refugee camps

roughly 40% of world’s refugees live in refugee camps, but they are often outdated and sites of violence

main financer of UNHCR

The US —> why no one intervened during the ICE crisis

precursor to ILO

International Association for Labour Legislation (formed in 1901): private association that organized conferences for legal protection of workers in dangerous industries

Leeds 1916, Stockholm 1917, London 1918

conferences around WWI that leveraged workers rights to be included in treaties

context for creation of ILO

• immediate: labor and revolutionary threats — governments didn’t want their citizens to follow Russian Revolution of 1919

• prior: International Association for Labour Legislation — private org formed in 1901 chaired by Samuel Gompers

tripartism

ILO principle of representing governments, employers, and workers reps

three main focuses of ILO

• protection of workers

  • 8 hr work day, protection of women and children

• social insurance

  • insurance/sick days

• social dialogue

  • job security and unions

feminist tensions of ILO

• differentialists: thought women and men should be treated differently in the workforce

• egalitarians: thought they should be treated equally

beveridge model

1942, universalist approach of “cradle to grave protection”

Philadelphia Convention of 1944

labour is not a commodity

trend towards child’s rights

• International BUreau of Education 1925

• Geneva Declaration of the RIghts of the Cild of 1924