4. International Organisations Flashcards
def of a state
State: Political community with permanent population, defined territory, government with monopoly of force and capacity to enter into relations with other states
def of Intergovernmental Organisation
Intergovernmental Organisation: members are states and made up of three or more states. IGOs are established by intergovernmental agreement/treaty. It has a permanent secretariat.
def of transnational organisations
Transnational Organisation: made up of private actors (e.g. transnational corporations, religious movements, NGOs, epistemic communities, social movements)
def international institution
International Institution: synonymous with international organization. The UN, IMF, and WTO, for example, are commonly referred to as either. However, they are also Set of implicit or explicit principles, norms, rules and decision-making procedures around which actors’ expectations converge in a given area of IR
def of IR
International Relations: Structural formal contacts between governments through bilateral and multilateral diplomaticrelations
def of transgovernmental relations
Transgovernmental Relations: Structural informal contacts between(representatives of) ministries, parliaments and other governmentalbodies
def of transnational relations
Transnational Relations: Structural contacts between private actors across state borders NGO
def multinational corporations
Multinational corporations (MNCs): companies that have operations in more than one country. They will have their headquarters in just one country (the ‘home’ country) but will either manage production or deliver services in other countries (‘host’ countries
why are IOs important?
*they survive and have endured in the international system.
*They shape how states respond to international problems.
*They increasingly affect the lives of individuals everywhere by shaping the distribution of power and making policies that were previously left to states.
*help states create global public goods by being forums for international cooperation and then helping to enact and enforce the provision of those goods.
what are the big steps of the Brief History of Intergovernmental Organizations
*1648: Treaties of Westpalia
* Emergence of Modern IOs in the 19th Century
*Political IOs and the Role of Diplomacy
*the league of Nations after WW1
*The Rise of Modern IOs Post-WWII
explain 1648 as the first step of the history of IOs
treaties of Westphalia (end the 30 years war in Eu):
*established state sovereignty (states were recognized as having authority over their own territory).
*This concept laid the groundwork for modern international relations and later, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs).
explain the Emergence of Modern IOs in the 19th Century as the first step of the history of IOs
19th= rise of early forms of IOs focused on specific areas of cooperation:
*Health: International Sanitary Conferences (1851) to combat disease.
*Trade & Transport: International Maritime Organization (precursors in 19th C.).
*Communication: International Telegraph Union (1865) – Now the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
+ Universal Postal Union (1874) – Standardized global mail services.
-> These organizations were apolitical, focusing on technical and administrative cooperation.
explain Political IOs and the role of diplomacy as the first step of the history of IOs
*Diplomacy by Conference: idea that states should regularly meet to discuss international issues became a norm.
*Concert of Europe (1815-1914):
A multilateral forum where European powers met to maintain peace.
Aimed at preventing large-scale wars through diplomacy.
*The Hague System (1899, 1907):
Early efforts to codify international law and arbitration + Established mechanisms for resolving disputes peacefully.
explain creation of the league of nations as the first steps of the history of IOs
*1919 after WWI as the first global political IO.
*Aimed to prevent future wars through collective security and diplomacy.
*Included the establishment of the Permanent Court of International Justice (precursor to today’s ICJ).
*failed to prevent WWII due to lack of enforcement mechanisms and U.S. non-membership.
explain rise of modern IOs as the first steps of the history of IOs
After WWII, many of today’s most powerful IOs were created:
*UN (1945) – Successor to the League, focusing on peace, security, and global cooperation.
*International Monetary Fund (IMF) & World Bank (1944) – Economic governance.
*World Health Organization (WHO) (1948) – Global health coordination.
*North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (1949) – Collective security.
-> These IOs reflected a shift toward institutionalized global governance, shaping international relations today.
diff btwn international organisations (IOs) and intergovernmental organisation (IGOs)
-> def; membership; example; legal basis; decision-making
-definition:
Broad term for any organization that operates internationally (IOs)
vS A specific type of IO formed by sovereign states through treaties or agreements.(IGOs)
-Membership:
Can include states, non-state actors (NGOs, MNCs, individuals)(IOs)
vS Comprised only of sovereign states (governments).(IGOs)
-Examples: Amnesty International vS NATO
-Legal Basis:
Can be private or non-governmental; not necessarily created by treaties (IOs).
vS Created by formal treaties between governments, giving them legal authority (IGOs)
-Decision-Making:
Often voluntary and advisory, no binding authority over states (IOs)
vS Binding agreements and policies; states must follow rules set by the organization.(IGOs)
why do states create/ join international institutions?
●To bridge the tension between individual and collectiveinterests
●Pursue common interests
●Coordinate their actions
●Pool resources
●Facilitate regular communication
●Share and generate information
●Monitor one another
●To gain legitimacy for their actions
●Symbolic value
●To adjudicate disputes
●To ‘tie-in’ and illustrate domestic commitments (signal their commitment to domestic policies or reforms-> When a government makes promises to economic, social, or political reforms, joining an international institution reinforces credibility)
●To ‘lock-in’ the international spoils of victory (After winning a war, negotiation, or major political/economic advantage, a state may create or join an institution to secure its gains)
how has the UN evolve over time?
UN established to maintain international peace, and promote human rights and international economic and social cooperation
○Since then, remit has expanded enormously (e.g. health, environment, development, much broader concept of ‘humansecurity’)
how has NATO evolve over time?
NATO established 1949) to deter Soviet aggression
○Post-Cold War remit includes peacekeeping, military interventions, anti-piracy missions. Rather than decline or die, NATO expanded after Cold War ended
what are the different types of IO?
●Many ways to categorise IOs (e.g. according to membership, size, issue area, powers, region, function, global/regional, governmental/non-governmental, intergovernmental/supranational)
●In practice, most IOs fit into more than one category (e.g. the UN as an intergovernmental/ transnational IO)
●Typology, and definitions generally, are important because how we define and categorise IOs can influence how we analyse them
what is the structure of IGOs?
●A founding treaty in which institutional structure, principles, functions and commitments are outlined (e.g. Treaty on European Union)
●Assembly (e.g. UN General Assembly)
●Council (e.g. AU Executive Council, UNSC)
●Secretariat (e.g. EU Council Secretariat)
●Sometimes, IGOs can also have parliaments, courts, organs for dealing with specific policy areas or that represent particular interests
If IOs have autonomy and authority in the world, what do they do with it?
○Classify the world, creating categories of actors and actions Ex: Consider the evolving definition of “refugee“ “migrant” “guest worker” “exiles” and the role of UNHCR catagory
○Fix meanings in the social world Ex: What is security? Development?
○Articulate and diffuse new norms EX:Consider decolonization & the role of The UN Charter
what are the Three views on IOs
they can function as actor, forum, resource
explain IOs as an actor
-> IOs are independent entities created by international law, separate from the states that establish and govern them.
-> How They Function as Actors:
*Legal & Political Recognition:
To be considered an actor, an IO must be recognized by the international community as an independent entity.
Ex: UN is recognized as an actor because it has its own rights, duties, and legal status.
*Capacity for Action: actor if its decisions have an impact on global affairs.
Ex: WHO acted independently during the COVID-19 pandemic by coordinating global health responses, issuing travel advisories, and setting health policies.
*Separation from Member States: act in ways that states might not fully control.
Ex: ICC prosecutes individuals for war crimes, even if powerful states oppose its decisions.
-> IOs as actors have their own legal personality, independent decision-making capacity, and impact on international affairs.
