The study of international organisations (IOs)

Question 1

What are International Organisations?

Answer 1

International organisations (IOs) just like
international regimes, are a subtype of
international institutions.

Question 2

What are International Institutions according to (Mearsheimer 1994–95)?

Answer 2

‘sets of rules that stipulate the ways in which states should
cooperate and compete with each other’ (Mearsheimer 1994–95).

Question 3

What are International Institutions according to (Robert Keohane 1989)?

Answer 3

‘persistent and connected sets of rules (formal and informal) that
prescribe behavioral roles, constrain activity, and shape
expectations’ (Robert Keohane 1989)

Question 4

What are International Regimes?

Answer 4

International regimes are “implicit or explicit principles,
norms, rules and decision-making procedures around which
actors’ expectations converge in a given area of
international relations.“(Krasner 1983)

Question 5

Name an example of a Regime ?

Answer 5

NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION
REGIME
International Atomic Energy Agency
UNSC
London Suppliers Group
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Question 6

What are the criteria an IO has to fulfill?

Answer 6

The Correlates of War dataset (COW)

(1) An IO must consist of at least three members states

(2) An IO must hold regular plenary sessions at least once every ten
years;

(3) An IO must possess a permanent secretariat and corresponding
headquarters

Question 7

What Mandates can an IO hold?
What are different subtypes of IOs?

Answer 7

“International Organisations are involved in innumerable issue
areas – from A as in arms control to Z as in Zones of fishing”
(Rittberger et al 2012:1)

Single issue IOs

WTO, IMF, ILO, IAEA, the International Coffee Organisation,
OPEC

Multi-issue IOs

United Nations, the European Union, Commonwealth
organisation, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, African
Union, ASEAN

Question 8

What differences can be made when it comes to IO memberships?

Answer 8

Restricted vs universal membership

stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law,
human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;

a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with
competition and market forces in the EU;

the ability to take on and implement effectively the obligations
of membership, including adherence to the aims of political,
economic and monetary union.

Regional vs global organisations

Question 9

What are the differences between intergovernmental and supernational IOs?

Answer 9

Intergovernmental

They mainly serve as forums where states coordinate their
national policies, but where states fully maintain their
national sovereignty and autonomy, as decisions require
unanimity

Supranational

IOs to which states pool and delegate authority and that
cannot be fully controlled by their members

Question 10

What are the 3 different views on International Organisations (Hurd, 2020)

Answer 10

1. IOs as actors

Capacity for independent action

Social recognition

Can do things that its constituent parts on their own are unable to do

2. IOs as foram

Meeting places for states

Plenary bodies with deliberative functions; collective legitimation effects

3. IOs as resources

Tools that states use to advance their own goals and strategies

Symbols, decisions, statements