IOs & IGOs in International Peace & Security (POLI 487)

A comprehensive set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering key concepts, organizations, norms, and mechanisms related to international peace and security as discussed in the lecture notes.

National security

Security of a state, usually in terms of military or physical protection.

International security

Security and stability of the international system as a whole.

Human security

Security focused on protecting people as the reference point for security.

War

The fundamental problem in international politics and a key driver for creating international organizations.

Global security governance

A post-War order of rules, norms, and institutions involving states, IGOs, INGOs, and international law to manage security.

Post-war order

Security regime after major conflicts, distinguished by Cold War vs. post-Cold War periods.

War is outlawed

A basic norm prohibiting war as a lawful method of national policy.

Use of force in self-defense

The right of states to use force in response to an armed attack.

Prohibition of the forceful annexation of territory

Prohibits acquiring territory by force.

Legitimate use of force to promote self-determination

Use of force considered legitimate to support self-determination or replace illegitimate regimes.

Human rights

Inherent rights of all humans protected by international law.

Humanitarianism

Efforts to protect and assist people in humanitarian crises.

United Nations (UN)

International organization founded to maintain peace and security; main organs include the Security Council, General Assembly, and ICJ.

Security Council

UN body with primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security; can authorize force; veto power can limit action.

General Assembly

UN deliberative body that can make recommendations and, in certain cases, refer issues to the UN system (e.g., Uniting for Peace).

International Court of Justice (ICJ)

UN’s principal judicial organ dealing with disputes between states.

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)

Organism dedicated to overseeing the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) regime.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Promotes peaceful use of nuclear energy and prevents weaponization.

UNHCR

UN High Commissioner for Refugees; protects and assists refugees.

UNOCHA

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; coordinates humanitarian response.

OSCE

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; established 1975; broad European security organization emphasizing human security.

CSTO

Collective Security Treaty Organization; security alliance among CIS members, established in 2002.

Hague Conventions

Conventions for the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes; fostered third-party roles in dispute resolution.

Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)

Pact renouncing war as an instrument of national policy; later incorporated into later charters.

Uniting For Peace (Resolution 377 A)

UN General Assembly mechanism (1950) to override Security Council deadlock and address peace and security issues; invoked multiple times.

Sanctions

Enforcement tool used to compel compliance; prominent post-Cold War; can be comprehensive or targeted.

Comprehensive sanctions

Broad economic penalties affecting the whole economy of a country.

Targeted sanctions

Penalties aimed at specific individuals, groups, or entities rather than an entire economy.

Intergenerational effects of sanctions

Sanctions can have long-lasting impacts, including effects on future generations.

Responsibility to Protect (R2P)

Norm that states have a responsibility to protect populations from mass atrocity; international intervention may be warranted if a state fails.

Humanitarian intervention

Use of military force by external actors to prevent or stop mass atrocities; debated in relation to sovereignty and R2P.

Peacekeeping

UN/regional operations with consent, impartiality, and use of force as a last resort to establish conditions for peace.

Three principles of peacekeeping

Consent of the parties, impartiality, and use of force only as a last resort.

Peacebuilding

Post-conflict efforts to rebuild governance, institutions, and infrastructure to sustain peace.

Dispute resolution

Diplomatic and judicial means to settle international disputes.

Nuclear non-proliferation

Efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and capabilities.

Counter-terrorism

Efforts to prevent and combat terrorism at the national and international levels.