International Relations Theory and the UN: A Short Primer (original) (raw)
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2008
For students of international relations, the knowledge of the role of the United Nations (UN) in international politics is vital. However getting to grips with such a complex and wide-ranging organisation is a daunting task. This book provides a solid overview of the UN, its institutions and their relevance to the stability of the international system. The need for a reform of the UN to handle new threats to international peace and security is also explored. This volume was written for the benefit of students of international relations, human rights and international development. Other beneficiaries include international organisations, academics, diplomats, international law practitioners, policy makers and anyone interested in the study of international organisations. The authors give an informative history and principles of the UN charter, precisely to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the organs and specialised agencies, and analyse the programs and financing of the UN. Th...
THE GIST OF THE ESSAY “The world is still, admittedly, a very imperfect, insecure, unjust, dangerous and, in all too many regions, impoverished place, but ... we have a foundation to build on”. Javier Perez de Cueller, former UN Secretary General, in his report to the UN General Assembly on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the United Nation (UN 1985: vi) The end of the cold war has brought hopes of a 'new world order' characterised by international cooperation, freedom and democracy, peace and security, and respect for human rights. These are the same ideals which, in 1945, spurred the formation of the United Nations. Although the ending of cold war has also brought to an end the ideological polarisation of the world, the emerging socio-political and economic changes have led to new economic rivalries, border disputes, and interethnic tensions. The ideals of the UN are, therefore, still quite relevant in the post-cold war era. Indeed, the UN is faced with several challenges in the post-cold war era. These include taking advantage of the resulting possibility of international cooperation to solve outstanding international problems such as racial, ethnic and religious intolerance, poverty and hunger, political strife in some countries, and forced migration. To meet these challenges, there may be need to make some radical adjustments in the UN itself in areas such as the composition of the Security Council and the veto power held by some member-states, the entire conflict resolution machinery of the organisation, and - to some extent - the Charter itself. Human rights issues also continue to be pertinent. There is no shortage of relevant human rights protection legal instruments. What the UN may need to concentrate on is how to make these instruments provide meaningful protection to human rights. There is need to strengthen the human rights protection institutions such as the UNHCR, and provide them with relatively independent financial resources to enable them meet their obligations without undue hindrance. Environmental conservation is also emerging as an important area of UN activity. The great task here is how to sustain sufficient interest and acquire resources for environmental conservation in the face of the economic recession faced by most countries. Is the UN capable of seeing through actions to preserve the environment which may be unpopular with governments which fund it? Apparently one of the principal challenges to the UN system as a whole is how to acquire the requisite amount of autonomy so as to single-mindedly pursue its post-cold war objectives. ENOCH OPONDO Refugee Studies Programme University of Oxford October 1992
The United Nations in World Politics
It is hard to imagine a world without the United Nations. Despite many ups and downs over more than sixty-five years, the UN has not only endured but also played a key role in reshaping the world as we know it. It has embodied human-kind's hopes for a better world through the prevention of conflict. It has promoted a culture of legality and rule of law. It has raised an awareness of the plight of the world's poor, and it has boosted development by providing technical assistance. It has promoted concern for human rights, including the status of women, the rights of the child, and the unique needs of indigenous peoples. It has formulated the concept of environmentally sustainable development. It has contributed immensely to making multilateral diplomacy the primary way in which international norms, public policies, and law are established. It has served as a catalyst for global policy networks and partnerships with other actors. It plays a central role in global governance. Along the way, the UN has earned several Nobel Peace Prizes, including the 2005 award to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its chief, Mohamed ElBaradei; the 2001 prize to the UN and Secretary-General Kofi Annan; the 1988 award to UN peacekeepers; and the 1969 honor to the International Labour Organization (ILO). In the many areas of UN activity, we can point to the UN's accomplishments and also to its shortcomings and failures. More than sixty-five years after its creation , the UN continues to be the only international organization (IO) or, more correctly, international intergovernmental organization (IGO) of global scope and nearly universal membership that has an agenda encompassing the broadest range of governance issues. It is a complex system that serves as the central site for multilateral diplomacy, with the UN's General Assembly as center stage. Three weeks of general debate at the opening of each fall assembly session draw foreign ministers and heads of state from small and large states to take advantage of the opportunity to address the nations of the world and to engage in intensive diplomacy.
Africa’s Public Service Delivery and Performance Review , 2019
International organisations such as the United Nations (UN) are an important component of the international system. As a result, numerous studies pertaining to them have been carried out, and a number of scholars have dedicated some of their time and energy solely to studying these organisations (Art & Jervis 2011; Goldstein & Pevehouse 2011). One such scholar is Dr. Clive Archer, who has published a number of editions of his book International Organizations. Among other things, in this book, Archer highlights or rather laments the difficulties faced by international organisations. In order to tease out Archer’s theoretical contributions to the study of international organisations, the aim of this article, therefore, was to critically discuss these difficulties within the context of the UN. Having said that, it is the well-considered view of this study’s authors that this subject is worth revisiting with a critical lens. This is particularly because in the recent past the role or [ab]use of international organisations such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and United Nations Security Council (UNSC) have been under the spotlight (Malito 2019). It is therefore important and timely that an alternative critical perspective by South[ern] angled scholars like ourselves on this subject be proffered. Such contribution is poised to enhance the existing body of knowledge on the UN and international organisations in general. This premise should be understood within the context that this article is the product of a study that was conceptualised and operationalised by scholars who have a completely different epistemological identity from Archer.