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INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:Need for IGOs, Categorizing IGOs

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International Relations-PSC 201
VU
LESSON 27
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
What are International Organizations?
International organizations include Inter-governmental Organizations (IGOs) and Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs). IGOs have official delegates appointed by member nations. NGOs, on the other
hand, are comprised of private individuals or institutions.
Need for IGOs
IGOs provide a less binding sense of regulation in comparison to national governments, yet their presence
is significant in an increasingly integrated world. While some contend that international organizations ensure
compliance to wishes of powerful nations, others view them as deterrents to hegemonic designs.
Categorizing IGOs
IGOs can be placed into four distinct categories:
i
IGOs can have a general membership and a general purpose (UN system)
ii
IGOs can have a general membership and a limited purpose (World Bank)
iii
IGOs can have a limited membership and a general purpose (OIC, EU)
iv
IGOs can have a limited membership and a limited purpose (NATO)
History of International Organizations
The Greek city states like Sparta and Athens developed military and defense organizations like NATO and
the Warsaw Pact. Twelve city states also formed the Amphictyonic League to protect the Temple at Delphi.
The Romans developed administrative, legal and military structures which aided international organization
at a later stage in history.
In 1305, Pierre Dubories, a French lawyer proposed alliances between Christian powers, which led to
several such formations, the Hanseatic League most prominent amongst them. Subsequently, the `Grand
Design' of 1603 comprised of 15 Christian republics, it aimed to end violence and settle disputes peacefully,
yet it too was an overtly Christian organization confined to Europe.
Establishment of a world government and enduring peace did begin to preoccupy prominent thinkers
though, like the Italian poet Dante (13 century) and the philosophers, Rousseau and Kant (18 century).
The European Congress in Westphalia in 1648, which ended 30 years of a bloody war, was not able to
establish a formal organization but it did promote diplomatic ties amongst many prominent states. The
French Revolution of 1789 similarly brought wide recognition of the right of self determination. Then the
Congress of Vienna in 1815 provided principles for navigation of international rivers and identified
provisions for abolishing slavery.
The US Monroe Doctrine of 1825 also set the stage for international cooperation by issuing a strong
proclamation against external interventions. The Brussels Congress of 1874 provided a code of land warfare
approved by 15 nations. The Hague Commissions of 1899 &1907 stressed on arbitration to avoid violence
and on the equality of all independent states.
Also public international unions like the International Telegraphic Union (1865), the Universal Postal Union
(1847) and the Rhine River Commission (1804) became prototypes for international organizations formed
in the 20 century, like the League of Nations and the UN system.
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International Relations-PSC 201
VU
Relevant Vocabulary
Proclamation: declaration
Overt: Obvious or explicit
Intervention: interference
Preoccupy: predominant concern
Enduring: long lasting
Abolishing: to put an end to, or to eradicate
Suggested Readings
Students are advised to read the following chapters to develop a better understanding of the various
principals highlighted in this hand-out:
Chapter 12 in `"A Study of International Relations" by Dr. Sultan Khan
Internet Resources
In addition to reading from the textbook, please visit the following web-pages for this lecture, which
provide useful and interesting information:
Monroe Doctrine
www.law.ou.edu/hist/monrodoc.html
Table of Contents:
  1. WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND WHAT IS ITS RELEVANCE?
  2. APPROACHES TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: THEORIES IN IR
  3. APPROACHES TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS:Traditional Approach
  4. THE NATION-STATE SYSTEM:Further Evolution of Nation-State
  5. THE NATION STATE SYSTEM: BASIC FEATURES OF A NATION-STATE
  6. NATIONAL INTEREST:Criteria for Defining National Interest
  7. NATIONAL INTEREST:Variations in National Interest, Relevant Vocabulary
  8. BALANCE OF POWER (BOP):BoP from a historical perspective
  9. BALANCE OF POWER (CONTINUED):Degree of Polarization, Functions of BoP
  10. DIPLOMACY:How Diplomacy Functions, Traditional Versus Modern Diplomacy
  11. DIPLOMACY (CONTINUED):Diplomatic Procedures & Practices, Functions of Diplomacy
  12. COLONIALISM, NEO-COLONIALISM & IMPERIALISM:Judging Colonization
  13. COLONIALISM, NEO-COLONIALISM & IMPERIALISM:Types of Neo-Colonialism
  14. COLONIALISM, NEO-COLONIALISM & IMPERIALISM:Objectives of Imperialism
  15. NEW INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER:Criticism of IEO, NIEO Activities
  16. NEW INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER:Prerequisites for the NIEO
  17. NON-ALIGNMENT MOVEMENT:Origin of NAM, NAM’s Institutional Structure
  18. NON-ALIGNMENT MOVEMENT (CONTINUED):Cairo Summit, Egypt - 1964
  19. NON-ALIGNMENT MOVEMENT:Criticism of NAM, NAM and Pakistan
  20. THE COLD WAR AND ITS IMPACTS - INTRODUCING THE COLD WAR PHENOMENON
  21. THE COLD WAR AND ITS IMPACTS (CONTINUED):Truman Doctrine, Marshal Plan
  22. THE COLD WAR AND ITS IMPACTS (CONTINUED):End of the Cold War
  23. DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL:History of Disarmament
  24. DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL (CONTINUED):Other Disarmament Efforts
  25. THE RELEVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
  26. THE RELEVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (CONTINUED)
  27. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:Need for IGOs, Categorizing IGOs
  28. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (CONTINUED):United Nations, Criticism of the UN
  29. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (CONTINUED):European Union, World Bank
  30. THE ROLE OF DECISION MAKING IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
  31. DECISION MAKING (CONTINUED):Rational Actor Model, Group Politics Model
  32. SYSTEMS APPROACH TO IR:Underlying Assumptions, Elements of the System
  33. SYSTEMS BASED APPROACH (CONTINUED) – DISTINCT SYSTEMS IN IR
  34. LIBERALISM AND SOCIAL DEMOCRACY:Neoliberalism
  35. LIBERALISM AND SOCIAL DEMOCRACY (CONTINUED):Liberalism vs. Social Democracy
  36. INTEGRATION IN IR:Preconditions for Integration, Assessing Integration
  37. GLOBALIZATION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS:Advocates of Globalization
  38. THE GLOBAL DIVIDE:World Social Forum, Can the Global Divide Be Bridged?
  39. FOCUS ON FOREIGN INVESTMENTS:Pro-poor Foreign Investments
  40. CONFLICT AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION:Components of a Conflict
  41. CONFLICT RESOLUTION:Creative response, Appropriate assertiveness
  42. THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT:Global Concern for the Environment
  43. THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT:Environmental Concerns and IR, Some Other Issues
  44. HOW IR DIFFER FROM DOMESTIC POLITICS?:Strategies for altering state behavior
  45. CHANGE AND IR:Continuity in IR, Causality and counterfactuals, IR in a nutshell