Global Governance (point 3a)

How can challenges to sovereignty and territorial integrity be a cause of conflict

When citizens are treated unjustly or certain groups have limited representation in government When there is competition for resources like water, agricultural land, oil When people are marginalised by a state government When a government fails to protect its citizens from human rights violations When people's religious/political beliefs cause persecution When there is ethnic conflict When a government fails to supply people's basin human needs

Example of conflict over natural resources

The sovereignty of Kashmir has been contested between Pakistan and India since 1947 It has caused deaths of military personnel and international displacement of poor farmers and their families Water insecurity is at the heart of the dispute because Pakistan argues India affects its water supplied by damning the upper tributaries It is a result of rapid population growth so greater water demand, and a deletion of water resources as Himalayan glaciers retreat

What is global governance

The movement towards political cooperation amongst different countries and transnational actors aimed at negotiating responses to problems that affect more than one state or region.

UN: Origin and Security Council

Founded in 1945; 193 member states. The Security Council holds primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security through a mandate provided by the UN Charter.

UN Mechanism: Preventative Diplomacy

The UN regulates conflict before it starts using "soft power" tools: mediation, fact-finding missions, and investigating disputes to recommend settlements (preventative diplomacy).

UN Mechanism: Peacekeeping Missions

Troops provided by member states to protect civilians, monitor ceasefires, and facilitate political processes. They help countries navigate the path from conflict to peace (e.g., Namibia).

UN Mechanism: Peace Enforcement

Under Chapter VII, the Security Council can authorize collective military action or economic sanctions to restore international peace if a state refuses to stop aggression.

UN Mechanism: International Law (ICJ)

The UN regulates conflict through legal frameworks; the International Court of Justice (ICJ) settles legal disputes between states and promotes a rules-based global order.

Effectiveness: Successful Conflict Resolution

Has negotiated over 170 peace settlements and prevented a "World War 3" since 1945. It effectively supported self-determination in former colonies like Namibia (1990).

Drawbacks: Veto and Bureaucracy

The Five Permanent Members (P5) can veto any action, leading to paralysis (e.g., Russia/Crimea). The organization is also criticized for being slow, expensive, and bureaucratic.

NGOs: Definition and Examples

NGO Role: Local Intervention

Work directly with local governments and residents in conflict zones to provide humanitarian relief, including healthcare, food, water, and education.

NGO Role: Conflict Regulation

Monitor early warning signs of violence and facilitate direct mediation and open dialogue between opposing parties to prevent conflict from starting.

NGO Mechanism: ACCORD (Case Study)

The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes specializes in peacemaking (dialogue), peacekeeping, and addressing root causes through peacebuilding.

NGO Mechanism: Knowledge Production

Organizations like ACCORD enhance policy and research to improve non-military forms of conflict resolution and strengthen international relations post-conflict.

Effectiveness: Successful Outcomes

NGOs are highly effective at crisis response (e.g., Doctors Without Borders in Haiti) and long-term peacebuilding; ACCORD was the first African NGO to address the UN Security Council.

Drawbacks: Funding and Power

Effectiveness is often limited by a lack of resources (funding) and the fact that they cannot physically stop a conflict once it has escalated to full-scale war.

EU: Definition and Origins

EU Role: Economic Integration

Regulates conflict by removing the need for resource competition. Shared benefits through the "Single Market" mean states don't need to invade neighbors for resources like coal or steel.

EU Role: Sanctions and Diplomacy

Uses economic power to regulate conflict by banning trade, freezing assets, and restricting travel (e.g., sanctions against Russia targeting key sectors and officials like Putin).

EU Mechanism: CSDP

The Common Security and Defence Policy allows the EU to conduct joint disarmament, humanitarian rescue, military advice, and post-conflict stabilization.

EU Mechanism: ENP

The European Neighbourhood Policy (and Eastern Partnership) works to stabilize countries on the EU's borders to prevent external conflicts from spilling over.

Effectiveness: Internal Peace vs External Action

Highly effective at preventing conflict between members (no internal wars since 1945). However, only 15 of 30 overseas operations were completed between 2002–2014.

Drawback: Sovereignty and Limits

Challenges include the loss of national sovereignty (a cause of Brexit) and the fact that the EU has no standing army, relying instead on voluntary contributions from member states.

Role of norms in regulating conflict

How effective have Geneva Conventions been in regulating conflict

They are ignored today as persecution by International Criminal Court often doesn’t happen So in countless wars happening today there are cases of civilians being targeted etc e.g. Syrian Civil War Geneva conventions didn’t mention civil wars in the original copy

Effectiveness of Geneva Conventions on different scales

Spatial - signed by 196 countries so can be applied virtually anywhere. Created protected spaces in conflict zones that can't be attacked. Economic - helps limit infrastrcuture damage. UN security council can pose economic consequences if a country doesn’t follow geneva conventions

Role of Flows of People

Stability: Remittances provide economic relief (e.g., Laos); Migration reduces pressure on resources. Conflict: Influxes can overwhelm host nations, causing social tension/nationalism; "Brain Drain" loses skilled workers needed to rebuild.

Role of Flows of Money

1. Stability: ODA (Official Development Assistance) addresses root causes like poverty. 2. Stability: Peacekeeping funding (e.g., EU funding the African Peace Facility) stabilizes borders. 3. Conflict: Negative flows (Sanctions) can cripple economies and hurt civilians. 4. Conflict: Illegal flows (money laundering/resource trade) fund weapons and insurgencies.

Role of Flows of Technology

Stability: Satellite imagery/drones provide "Early Warning Systems" to detect troop movements; Medical/agri-tech prevents resource conflict. Conflict: Advanced military hardware/cyber-warfare increases lethality; Surveillance tech allows authoritarian regimes to suppress dissent.

Role of Flows of Ideas

Stability: Spread of democratic values, Human Rights (UDHR), and "Responsibility to Protect" (R2P) encourages fair governance; NGO mediation ideas (ACCORD) promote non-military solutions. Conflict: Extremist ideologies spread rapidly online to spark terrorism; Ideas of radical nationalism clash with supranationalism (e.g., Brexit).

Tied Aid (Money Flow)

A specific type of financial flow where the donor country provides aid on the condition that it is spent on goods/services from the donor nation, often limiting the recipient's economic sovereignty.

Remittances (People/Money Flow)

The transfer of money by a foreign worker to an individual in their home country. One of the largest financial inflows to LIDCs, providing vital stability in conflict-prone regions.

Sovereignty vs. Flows

The modern challenge where global "flows" (money, people, ideas) bypass national borders, making it harder for a state to control its own territory and political identity