International Organizations 2104-UPIR-D4INOR
Course outline:
Class 1 and 2 (20.10; 27.10): IOs as members of the international community – bit of revision of IL. Defining IOs. Classification of IOs
Understanding the terms: IOs, NGOs, INGOs, international institutions, international agencies;
Elements of IOs definitions;
Classification of IOs
Reading:
MS – pages 1161-1166
JK – pages 3-12
CA – 1-2; 35-64
Class 3. (3.11) Why do states create IOs and act through them? Do they matter? Theories of IR and IOs
Presentation:
Reading:
CA: 112-181
JK: 334-344
Kenneth W. Abbott, Duncan Snidal, Why States Act through Formal International Organizations, “The Journal of Conflict Resolution” 1998, vol. 42, no. 1
Class 4 and 5: (10.11; 17.11) Origins of formal international cooperation. The rise of IOs.
First forms of international formal cooperation;
First true IOs and INGOs – 1800s
The rise of IOs – especially the League of Nations and the United Nations
The League of Nations Pact vs. the UN Charter
The UN system
Presentation:
Reading:
MNS: 1161-1167; 1082-1098
CA: 3-29
JK: 16-22
Class 6: (24.11) The legal position of IOs. Legal personality under domestic and international law. International personality od IOs
IOs as subjects of international law and actors in international relations
IOs international personality – elements and characteristics
IOs and their personality in domestic law systems – elements and characteristics
Presentation:
Reading:
JK: 42-59
Class 7: (1.12) Setting up an international organisation: IOs’ statutes
Stages of the process of creation of an IO;
Different modes of setting up an IO
IOs statutes – their contents; legal character of IOs’ statutes
Presentation:
Reading:
JK: chapter 5
Class 8: (8.12) IOs roles and functions
Different roles played by IOs (instrument, forum/arena, normative (rule and norm setting administrative, operational, control, judiciary)
Presentation:
Reading:
CA: 65-111
Class 9. (15.12) Membership in IOs
Defining membership;
Different types of membership (as regards moment of accession);
Modes of acquiring membership;
Suspension of membership;
Termination of membership;
Specific examples of membership acquiring, suspension and termination (UN, ILO, EU, OPEC, WHO, WTO, UNESCO);
Different types of membership (as regards extent of member rights and duties).
Presentation:
Reading:
JK: 104-127
Class 10: (22.12) IOs’ institutional structure: organs. IOs officers
What is an IO organ?;
Types of organs (classification according to organs’ functions and their composition)
Presentation:
Reading:
JK: 169-196
Class 11: (12.01) Decision - making in IOs. The legal character of IOs official acts
What is an IO decision?;
Different types of IOs’ decisions (binding vs. non – binding, directed at the external forum vs. directed at the internal forum) – legal character of IOs’ decisions;
Decision – making procedure;
Different ways in which decisions can be reached (consensus, voting with unanimity, simple majority, qualified majorities, weighted voting);
Significance of IOs’ decisions;
Presentation:
Reading:
JK: 197-225; 278-299
Class 12: (19.01) Financing and budgets of IOs
Different types of IOs financing;
Contribution to IOs’ budgets;
Different types of budgets
UN budget
Presentation:
Reading:
JK: 128-145
Class 13: (26.01) International non – governmental organisations
What is an INGO? – elements of definition;
Roles and functions of INGOs;
Classification of INGOs;
INGOs as actors in international relations (lack of international personality!)
NGOs cooperation with IOs (especially in the UN)
Presentation:
Reading:
Peter Willetts, What is a Non-Governmental Organization?, UNESCO ENCYCLOPEDIA, http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/p.willetts/CS-NTWKS/NGO-ART.HTM
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
On completion of the course the graduate:
KNOWLEDGE
1. Defines the concept of an international organization
2. Knows different kinds of international organizations and classifies them
3. Explains the role and functions of international organizations in a contemporary world
SKILLS
4. Analyses powers and regulations of the United Nations
5. Evaluates the role of the United Nations in maintaining peace and security in a contemporary world
COMPETENCES
6. Is aware of the importance of regional organizations
7. Is aware of the changes of the role of international organizations in the future
Assessment criteria
In order to successfully complete the course the participants are required to:
Attend the classes (more than 2 absences will result in additional requirement – term paper; more than 50% absences will result in failure to complete the course)
Read for the classes and take active participation in in-class discussions (active participation adds to the final grade - 10%)
Pass a written exam (in form of a test) (80%, however you must pass the test in order to complete the course)
Presentation on an international organisation.You may choose from:
NATO,
OSCE,
ASEAN,
ILO,
EU,
AU,
OPEC,
IMF or IBRD,
International Committee of the Red Cross,
Amnesty International
Greenpeace
Maximum number of students in one group - 3. . The presentation must not exceed 20 minutes. It must contain information on:
history of the organisation
its legal basis
its structure (organs/institutions)
mandate
current activities - evaluation of activities.
significance of the IO in IR
The presentation will add to the final assessment (20%).
Presentation grade will be based on:
Contents (make sure you include all required information)
Understandable print
Understandable voice over
Usage of sources (need to be mentioned, academic sources, no copy-pasting from Wikipedia, etc.)
Time discipline
ATTENTION: Determination of presentation schedule will take place until second week of the semester. There will be no chance to choose the presentation later during the semester.
Bibliography
Malcolm N. Shaw, International Law, 5th edition, Cambridge University Press 2003, Chapter 23 (International Institutions) (available at the Department’s Library at Nowy Swiat 69); (in the class schedule: MS)
Jan Klabbers, An Introduction to International Institutional Law, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo 2002; (in the class schedule: JK)
Clive Archer, International Organizations, 3rd edition, Rutledge, London and New York 2001 (e-book available from http://www.ebookstore.tandf.co.uk/moreinfo.aspx?isbn=9780203192276&ISO=UK); (in the class schedule: CA)
FURTHER READING:
Michael Barnett, Martha Finnemore, Rules for the World. International Organizations in Global Politics, Cornell University Press, Ithaca and London 2004 (e-book available from https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Michael_N_Barnett_RULES_FOR_THE_WORLD?id=tNlBENWoq84C&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImJvb2stdE5sQkVOV29xODRDIl0.);
Paul F. Diehl (ed.), The Politics of Global Governanace. International Organizations in an Interdependent World, Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder and London, 2001 (available at the Department’s Library at Nowy Swiat 69)
Kenneth W. Abbott, Duncan Snidal, Why States Act through Formal International Organizations, “The Journal of Conflict Resolution” 1998, vol. 42, no. 1
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: