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International Organizations in World Politics
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International Organizations in World Politics

First Edition


April 2016 | 304 pages | CQ Press
International organizations (IOs) are essential and controversial actors in world politics today. They work on just about every imaginable issue that states cannot easily address individually. This timely and engaging new title offers a comprehensive overview of major IOs and their role in global governance. International Organizations in World Politics by Tamar Gutner presents a variety of theoretical approaches to analyzing the roles and impact of IOs. It then examines the historical development, governance structure, activities, and performance of major IOs. The book offers comprehensive, historically-grounded overviews of the most influential IOs, including the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organization. For each IO, there is a detailed case study that illuminates the constraints and challenges the IO faces in areas that include conflict resolution, development, the environment, trade, and financial crisis. The book also examines regional organizations, with an emphasis on the European Union and the euro crisis and the African Union’s peace operations.
 
Chapter 1: Introduction
What is an IO?

 
Brief History and Evolution

 
Range of IO Goals

 
Why Do States Create IOs?

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 2: Intellectual Context: The Evolution of IO Theory
1930s-1970s

 
Flavors of Institutionalism

 
1990s-Present: Contemporary Issues and Debates

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 3: United Nations
Birth of the UN

 
The UN Charter and Main Organs

 
The Larger UN Family

 
UN Evolution

 
Post-Cold War and Beyond

 
UN and Human Rights

 
Peacekeeping and Peace Operations

 
Scholarly Evaluation of Peacekeeping

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 4: United Nations Case Study: Rwanda/Genocide
What Happened

 
The Aftermath

 
What Went Wrong?

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 5: The World Bank
Birth of the Bank

 
Evolution

 
The Last Decade

 
Perspectives on the Bank

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 6: World Bank Case Study: Environmental Behavior and Performance
Environment and Development

 
How Might Bank Activities Impact the Environment?

 
Evolution of Bank’s Environmental Activities, Politics, Behavior

 
Some Quasi-Internal Critiques

 
External Views and Debates

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 7: The International Monetary Fund
The IMF’s Mandate at Birth

 
IMF Membership and Governance

 
Major Turning Points in the IMF’s History

 
Perspectives on the IMF

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 8: International Monetary Fund Case Study: IMF and the Global Financial Crisis
What Sparked the Crisis?

 
September 2008: The Crisis Erupts

 
Enter the IMF

 
Evaluation of Responses and Activities

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 9: The World Trade Organization
Open Markets, Protected Markets

 
The GATT

 
WTO Birth, Governance, Dispute Settlement

 
Evaluation

 
Looking Ahead

 
Perspectives on the WTO

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 10: World Trade Organization Case Study: Intellectual Property, Trade, and Access to Medicine
Trade and Pharmaceuticals

 
November 2001 Doha Declaration and 2003 Cancun Agreement

 
Evaluating the Doha Declaration

 
Important Initiatives outside of WTO

 
Other Current Issues of WTO, Health, and Trade

 
Perspectives on WTO, Intellectual Property, and Global Health Governance

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 11: Regional Organizations/European Union
General Overview of Regional Organizations

 
Debates about Regionals

 
The European Union

 
Economic and Monetary Union/Euro Crisis

 
Perspectives on the EU

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 12: Regional Organizations Case Study: African Union Peace Operations
From the Old OAU to the New AU

 
The Peace and Security Council

 
Relationship between PSC and the UN Security Council

 
PSC’s Major Peace Operations

 
Evaluation

 
Conclusion

 

“Gutner's text is a first-rate introduction to the study of international organizations. The rigorous engagement with existing literature brings intellectual clarity to the field, and the reviews of individual institutions in action help illuminate academic debates.”

Liam Clegg
University of York

“Tamar Gutner’s impressive new textbook skillfully presents the background and central analytical approaches to international organizations. Highly engaging, it is a genuine testament to how students can and should build their critical knowledge of the key international organizations.”

Steven C. Roach
University of South Florida

“Gutner’s text enables students of international relations to develop insights on the role of IOs in the era of globalization. Case studies reveal the diversity and complexity of contemporary global issues that IOs face and the challenging tasks they must undertake to address them. This text is an essential resource that leads students to assess what we need to expect from IOs and how to evaluate their effectiveness.”  

Betül Gökkir
Meliksah University

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 5

Chapter 7


For instructors

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ISBN: 9781568029245
£76.00