Knowledge Assessment: International Order

What is the sovereignty and territorial perspective of borders at the UN?

-Borders should not be changed once states are recognized

-Changing borders can cause a chain reaction of separatism

-Priority should be stability and preventing conflict

What is the self-determination and referendum perspective of borders at the UN?

-Groups of people should have the right to choose independence

-Borders created through colonialism or conflict may be unjust

-Referendums are a legitimate path to statehood

How does Kuwait's border history reflect their policy at the UN?

Due to being annexed and invaded by Iraq in 1990, where their sovereignty was restored by the UN/US-led coalition they are

-Strong supporters of territorial integrity

-Backs resolutions condemning invasions

-Emphasizes collective security and international law

How does Spain's border history reflect their policy at the UN?

Spain is a unified state but has regional independence movements, with ongoing tensions with the Basque and Catalonia regions. This led Spain to

-Oppose Kosovo's independence

-Resist international support for secession movements

-Emphasizes territorial integrity and unity of existing states

How does South Sudan's border history reflect their policy at the UN?

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan via a referendum and it one of the newest internationally recognized states. Due to this South Sudan

-supports self-determination and referendums for independence

-Frames independence as a legitimate political outcome

What is Algeria's border reflect their policy at the UN?

Algeria won independence from France after a anti-colonial war.

-Strong supporter of independence movements

-Advocates for Western Sahara referendum

-Frames conflicts in terms of anti-colonial struggle

How does the legacy of colonialism show up in international institutions?

Ongoing debates on reparations, need for greater representation in international institutions, returning historical items displayed in western museums.

What is the UN convention on the Law of the Sea?

It defines maritime zones, which includes territorial waters, exclusive economic zones, and the continental shelf. It also sets rules on navigation, overflight, and scientific research.

What does the UN convention on the Law of the Sea say about territorial waters?

Territorial waters are 12 nautical miles out from the coast.

What are Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs)?

Exclusive rights to natural resources within 200 nautical miles from the coast.

What is a continental shelf?

States have the rights to natural resources of the continental shelf (the edge of a continent that extends under the ocean water) beyond 200 n. miles.

What is innocent passage?

Foreign ships can navigate freely only if they are continuous through a states territorial sea.

What is freedom of navigation?

Freedom of navigation and overflight on the high seas and in the EEZs

Do states have full sovereignty in territorial waters?

yes

Are foreign ships allowed innocent passage in territorial waters?

yes

What can a foreign ship not do in territorial waters?

-Conduct military exercises

-Gather intelligence

-Launch aircraft

-stop, loiter, or patrol

What does the state only control in EEZ's

States only control resources

How open are the waters in an EEZ?

They are open for freedom of navigation

What can a foreign ship do in an EEZ

-Sail freely

-Conduct military operations or surveillance

-Launch helicopters

-Stop, patrol, or operate

What CAN'T foreign ships do in an EEZ

-Fish, drill, or exploit resources

What happens when there are overlapping EEZ's

This can lead to regional conflict between states, who are competing for valuable resources

How do contested borders arise?

-Competing territorial claims often with historical, cultural, and ethnic context

-Resource disputes or desire for control over resources

-Military or strategic dispute

What are the characteristics of the world order?

1. Territorial settlement

2. Dominant or Key powers

3. Institutional Framework

4. Overriding values or ideologies

World orders in a nutshell

1. Pre-30 Years War, Early 1600s

2. Peace of Westphalia, 1648-1789

• Legacy: Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity

3. Congress of Vienna, 1814-1914

• Legacy: Congress system

4. Paris Peace Conference, 1919-1939

• Legacy: National self-determination (with limits) & League of Nations

5. Post-World War II, 1945-present

• Legacy: United Nations

What is functionalism?

States can overcome conflict by cooperating on practical technical issues; cooperating in non-political areas builds trust and interdependence; assumes technical cooperation leads to political integration

What's an example of functionalism working?

1951: European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)

• Coordinated coal and steel industries for several

countries, including Germany and France

• Goal: promote growth and prevent conflict after World War II

• ECSC success led to European Economic

Commun

What is liberal internationalism?

Emphasizes cooperation, democracy, human rights, and open markets, supports a world order based on rules, norms, and multilateral institutions; Sees international relations as a positive-sum game (mutual gains through collaboration).

Finance/trade organizations that support multilateralism

WTO, IMF, World Bank

Regional cooperations orgs that support multilateralism

AU( African Union) EU (European Union), OAS, (Organization of American States) SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization), ASEAN (Association of South Search Asian Nations)

Military organizations that support multilateralism

NATO, Warsaw Pact, SCO

Economic organizations that support multilateralism

G20: Economic cooperation forum of the world's major advanced economies

• OECD: "Club of mostly rich countries" (The

Economist) - 38 countries

• G7: Club of rich democracies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

• BRICS: Loose association of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

How does membership in orgs such as OECD, AU, EU etc. convey power or influence?

-Agenda-setting power, power to shape global rules on trade, finance, and development; ex: G7 sets priorities on global economic policy

- Greater access to loans, investments, and financial networks; ex: OECD countries attract more stable investment

-signals stability and trustworthiness

-lowers borrowing costs, increases investors confidence

-ability to coordinate with states with similar interests; ex: G77 negotiates collectively at the UN

What is liberal interventionism?

liberal states should intervene in other countries to protect human rights and promote democracy; typically involves military force; based on the belief that the international community has a responsibility to protect (R2P).

Supporters of liberal interventionism view it as...

a morally driven response to

genocide and authoritarianism

Critics of liberal interventionism view it as...

neo-colonial, undermining sovereignty

What is responsibility to protect?

A formal UN doctrine that says that the international community has the responsibility to intervene when a government fails to protect it's own people from genocide, war crime, ethnic cleanings, and crimes against humanity.

Why are people weary about using R2P?

Can be used as a pretext for regime change,

interventions can violate sovereignty and destabilize governments under the guise of humanitarianism (China and Russia strongly believe this)

What is sovereignty?

States have supreme authority within their own borders and they are free from external interference in domestic affairs.

How does the UN charter approach the topic of sovereignty?

The UN charter restricts UN interference in internal affairs, BUT provides a carve out to allow the UN Security Council to take action in response "the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression."

How many member states are in the UN?

193

What are the parts and pieces of the UN?

The General Assembly (NYC)

• Security Council (NYC)

• International Court of Justice (The Hague)

• Secretariat (NYC)

• Economic and Social Council (NYC)

• Includes specialized agencies, such as the World Health Organization, UNICEF, etc

What is the structure of the UN general assembly?

One country, one vote

• Two-thirds majority is required for most decisions

• Resolutions are not legally binding or enforceable

• Abstentions are signal

How many total members are in the UN Security Council?

15 members

How many permanent members are in the UNSC and who are they?

5; United States, Russia, United Kingdom, China, France

Who are the 10 non perm members for this session?

Denmark (2026)

• Greece (2026)

• Pakistan (2026)

• Panama (2026)

• Somalia (2026)

• Bahrain (2027)

• Colombia (2027)

• DRC (2027)

• Latvia (2027)

• Liberia (2027)

Characteristics of the UNSC

P5 can veto any substantive resolution

• Non-permanent members can sponsor resolutions and participate in debates

• Security Council resolutions are legally binding

• Chapter VI: outlines the peaceful settlement of disputes (e.g., JCPOA resolution)

• Chapter VII: authorizes the use of force, sanctions, embargoes, tribunals, etc

Characteristics of UNSC voting

Article 27 of the UN Charter states that:

• Each member of the Security Council shall have one vote.

• Decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members.

• Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative

vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in decisions under Chapter VI, and under paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall abstain from voting.

What are examples of the UNSC taking action against "any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression."?

-Sanctions

-Military intervention

• Protection mission, e.g., peacekeeping troops

• Arms embargo

• War crimes tribunal

What does the United States tend to veto?

Typically veto things critical of Israel

Who is the most frequent veto user?

Russia, typically vetos resolutions on Ukraine Syria, non-proliferation, and Sudan

Who rarely vetos?

China, but when it does it join Russia, Co-vetoed multiple resolutions on Syria, North Korea, and Venezuela

• Focuses on protecting sovereignty and non-interference

Who never vetos?

France and UK (have not vetoed since 1989)

How have they made the veto more uncomfortable to use?

Requiring a debate on what's being vetoed

What is pen-holding?

Ensures one member (or sometimes a pair) of the UNSC "holds the pen" on a particular issue to keep it moving forward

• Seen by some as a Western "neo-colonial" use of the UN when a former colonial

power now 'holds the pen' on its former colony at the UNSC

What are common grievances?

Unequal distribution of power in international institutions

• Lack of representation in international institutions, including financial institutions

• Unfair (or neocolonialist) trade practices that disadvantage Global South countries

• The lack of disarmament among nuclear weapons states and the unequal treatment of

non-nuclear states

• Lack of power within UN system to adequately respond to human rights abuses

• Peacekeeping operations are not effective, as structured