The United Nations
“The UN is world’s preeminent international organization. The world needs a strong UN.” Ban Ki-moon (2010)
The significance of the United Nations is such that it is hard to begin consideration of institutions and actors in the global system without starting with the UN. The UN is the closest thing we have to an international government. However, there are numerous problems with this organization. Many of you are no doubt familiar with some of the general attributes of the UN, and this week we consider in-depth some of the ways in which the UN contributes to global governance.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this week, students should be able to:
• Define the United Nations;
• Express an understanding of the development of the United Nations;
• Demonstrate an understanding of how the United Nations operates with respect to global governance in practice.
Essential Reading:
Thomas G. Weiss and Rorden Wilkinson (2018) International Organization and Global Governance, Chapter 15 “The UN System” and Chapter 16 “The UN General Assembly”, and chapter 32, ‘UN Security Council and peace operations’ in Weiss et. al. Chapter 30.
Margaret P. Karns and Karen A. Mingst (2009) International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance, Chapter 4 “The United Nations: Centerpiece of Global Governance
