Republic of the Philippines

NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE

VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo Reg. No. 97Q19783

Reg. No. 97Q19783

Course Code : GE 9
Descriptive Title : THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
Term and Academic Year : 1st Semester, AY 2020-2021
Department and Year Level : BSIT 2
Professor : MISS MA. FATIMA A. GOLINGAY, MISS JASPER HOPE F. DE JULIAN, MISS JEEVEE
B. GABORNO, PROF. DONNA JANE S. BORDA, PROF. RIC. R. MILLADO

Module 1, Lesson 5
Contemporary Global Governance
I. Introduction
In this lesson, the focus on international Organization and the United Nations will be tackled. You will be able to
learn and examine how global governance is articulated by intergovernmental organizations. It will discuss the essential
role of the United Nations Organization for multilateral negotiations represented by the General Assembly. While the
Assembly is empowered to make only non-binding recommendations to states on international issues within its
competence, it has, nonetheless, initiated actions-political economic, humanitarian, social and legal-which has affected
the lives of millions of people throughout the world. It also covers the challenges of global governance and the voices of
individual states through the Assembly of the United Nations.

In order to gain a thorough understanding of this lesson, you have to read the discussion. You are also tasked to
answer the assessment and submit requirements found in the enrichment activities.

Time Frame: 3 hours Date of Submission:

II. Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. defined global governance;
2. identified the roles and functions of the United Nations; and
3. determined the challenges of global governance in the twenty-first century.

III. Learning Contents

Definition of Global Governance
 Oran Young (1994, 15), in turn, defines governance as: “the establishment and operation of social institutions
capable of resolving conflicts, facilitating cooperation, or, more generally, alleviating collective action problems
in a world of interdependent actors”.
o When Young defined on interdependent nature of decision making and the attempt of the actors to
“manage” or produce more “orderly” responses to common problems.
 Global Governance brings together diverse actors to coordinate collective action at the level of the planet. The
goal of global governance, roughly defined, is to provide global public goods, particularly peace and security,
justice and mediation systems for conflict, functioning markets and unified standards for trade and industry.
 Global governance is a purposeful order that emerges from institutions, processes, norms, formal agreements,
and informal mechanisms that regulate action for a common good. Global governance encompasses activity at
the international, transnational, and regional levels, and refers to activities in the public and private sectors that
transcend national boundaries. In this conception of global governance, cooperative action is based on rights
and rules that are enforced through a combination of financial and moral incentives.
 A purposeful order that emerges from institutions, processes, norms, formal agreements, and informal
mechanisms that regulate action for a common good. Global governance encompasses activity at the
international, transnational, and regional levels, and refers to activities in the public and private sectors that
transcend national boundaries.

Governance and Globalization

Global governance and globalization are intimately connected with the reason that as globalization occurs, states
loses control over their destinies, problems become bigger than the individual governments can handle and states must
delegate or abdicate political authority to higher entities with powers that coincide with the scope of the issues and actors
to be managed.

Actors of Global Governance

1. States
2. International Organizations (IGOs)
3. Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)

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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo Reg. No. 97Q19783

Reg. No. 97Q19783

4. Experts
5. Global Policy Networks
6. MNCs

International Organization (IO)

- Refers to international intergovernmental organizations of groups that are primarily made up of member-states.
- There were about 238 IGOs as of 2003/04.
Types:
 Global (UN, WTO, WHO)
 Regional (ASEAN, EU, SAARC)
 General Purpose (UN, OAS)
 Specialized (WTO, WHO, ILO, Nato)
Functions:
 Informational – to gather, analyze and disseminate data
 Forum – the exchanges of views and decision-making
 Normative – defining standards of behavior
 Rule-creating – drafting treaties
 Rule-supervisory – monitoring compliance
 Operational – actions to achieve goals

Powers of IOs:
1. Classification.
- IOs can invent and apply categories, they create powerful global standards. For example, it is the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that defines what a refugee is. And since states are required to accept
refugees entering their borders, this power to establish identity has concrete effects.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a UN agency mandated to aid and
protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary
repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country.
2. Fix Meanings.
- Various terms like “security” or “development” need to be well defined. States, organizations, and individuals
view IOs as legitimate sources of information. As such, the meanings they create have effects on various policies.
For example, recently, the United Nations has started to define security as not just safety from military violence,
but also safety from environmental harm.
3. Diffuse Norms.
- Norms have accepted codes of conduct that may not be strict law, but nevertheless produce regularity in
behavior. IOs do not only classify and fix meaning; they also spread ideas across the world, thereby establishing
standards. For example, World Bank economists come to be regarded as experts in development and thus carry
some form of authority. They can, therefore, create norms regarding the implementation and conceptualization
of development projects.

Because of these immense powers, IOs can be sources of great good and great harm. They can provide relevant
norms like environmental protection and human rights.

The United Nations

History and Principles of the United Nations
Prior to the United Nations (UN), the League of Nations was the international organization responsible for
ensuring peace and cooperation between world nations. It was founded in 1919 “to promote international cooperation
and to achieve peace and security.” At its height, the League of Nations had 58 members and was considered successful.
In the 1930s, its success waned as the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) gained influence, eventually leading to the
start of World War II in 1939.
The term “United Nations” was then coined in 1942 by Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt in the
Declaration by United Nations. This declaration was made to officially state the cooperation of the Allies (Great Britain,
the United States, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) and other nations during World War II.

United Nations – is a global diplomatic and political and international organization founded in 1945 after WWII by 51
countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations to
prevent abuses of war and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights. The U.N. initially had just
51 member states; today, the organization, which is headquartered in New York City, has 193 members.
- The most prominent IO in the contemporary world.

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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo Reg. No. 97Q19783

Reg. No. 97Q19783

UN’s 4 main goals and purposes:

1. Maintain international peace and security;
2. Develop friendly relations among nations;
3. Achieve international cooperation in solving international problems (improve the lives of poor people, to conquer
hunger, disease and illiteracy, and to encourage respect for each other’s right and freedoms); and
4. Be a center of harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.

UN is divided into five active organs:

General Overview:
1. General Assembly (GA).
- The main deliberative policymaking and representative
organ of UN.
-
- Requires a two-thirds majority on decisions on important
questions, such as those on peace and security, admission
of new members and budgetary matters.
-
- Annually, the GA elects a GA President to serve a one-year
term of office. All member states (currently at 193) have
seats in the GA.
-
- Carlos P. Romulo – a Filipino diplomat played a prominent
role in the GA as he was elected GA president 1949-1950.

2. Security Council (SC).

- Takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to
the peace or an act of aggression.
- It calls upon the parties to dispute to settle the act by
peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment
or terms of settlement. In some cases, it can resort to
imposing sanctions or authorizing use of force to maintain
international peace and security.
- Using military intervention is approved by SC and is legal.
- This body consists of 15 member states. The GA elects ten
of these 15 to two-year terms. The other five is referred to
as the Permanent 5 (P5). They have been permanent
members since the founding of the UN, and cannot be
replaced through election.
 China
 France
 Russia
 United Kingdom
 United States

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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo Reg. No. 97Q19783

Reg. No. 97Q19783

3. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

- The principal body for coordination, policy review, policy

dialogue, and recommendations on social and
environmental issues, as well as the implementation of
internationally agreed development goals.
- Consist of 54 members elected for three-year terms.

4. International Court of Justice (ICJ).

- Its task is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal

disputes submitted to it by states and to give advisory opinions
referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized
agencies.
- One of the major cases of the court are disputes between states
that voluntarily submit themselves to the court for arbitration.
- The court cannot try individuals, and its decisions are only binding
when states have explicitly agreed to place themselves before the
court’s authority.
- The SC has the capability to enforce the rulings of the ICJ, but this
remains subject to P5’s veto power.

5. The Secretariat.
- Consist of the Secretary-General and tens of thousands of
international UN staff members who carry out the day-to-day work
of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly and the
organization’s other principal organs.
- Members of the secretariat serve in as UN employees and not as
state representatives.

U.N. Successes:
 Providing food to 90 million people in over 75 countries
 Assisting more than 34 million refugees
 Authorizing 71 international peacekeeping missions
 Minimize climate change
 Providing vaccinations for 58 percent of children in the world
 Helping about 30 million women a year with maternal health efforts
 Protecting human rights

Challenges of the United Nations

 The limits placed upon its various organs and programs by the need to respect state sovereignty. The main function
of UN is brought up by the voluntary cooperation from states. So if states refuse to cooperate, the influence of the
UN can be severely circumscribed.
Example: The UN Council on Human Rights can send special rapporteurs to countries where alleged human right
violations are occurring. If a country does not invite the rapporteur or places conditions on his/her activities.
 Issues of security. As mentioned, the UN Security Council is tasked with authorizing international acts of military
intervention. Because of the P5’s power, it is tough for the council to release a formal resolution, much more
implement it.

Threats of the UN
 threats from poverty, disease, and environmental breakdown threats from conflict between states
 threats from violence and massive human rights violations within states
 threats from terrorism
 threats from organized crime
 threats from the proliferation of weapons - particularly WMD, but also conventional

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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo Reg. No. 97Q19783

Reg. No. 97Q19783

IV. Learning Assessment

Answer the following questions:
1) Briefly explain why is global governance multi-faceted?
2) Create a matrix that involves the organs of the United Nations and put in the specific functions of each that
differentiate one on the other. Kindly follow the given format:
UNITED NATIONS
ORGANS DESCRIPTION FUNCTIONS
1, 2, 3, ….  1, 2, ….

Scoring Guide:
Each answer shall be evaluated using these criteria:
Content 10 pts.
Organization of ideas 5 pts.
Language facility 5 pts.
Total score: 20 pts

V. Enrichment Activities/Outputs
A. Search for the latest history of the world’s most known events that led to tragedy, threats and challenges that
involves global governance. On each item there are given general challenges in the world. Give only one event
that applies to each item.
1. Terrorist attacks
2. Proliferation of WMDs
3. Environmental degradation
4. Natural disaster
5. Famines
6. Piracy and transnational crimes
7. Pandemics

B. Answer the following questions:

1. Do you think there will be improvement on these tragedies with the existence of global governance? Why or
why not?
2. What do you think is the UN’s main role upon these challenges that the world experiences?

(Note: Kindly follow the format given below)

Name: Date:
Course & Year:
A. Historical Events:
1. Terrorist attacks
What:
When:
Where:
Description:
2. Proliferation of WMDs
What:
When:
Where:
Description:
3. Environmental degradation
(And so on…)
B. Additional Questions:
1. Do you think there will be improvement on these tragedies with the existence of global governance? Why or
why not?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. State what do you think is the UNs main role upon these challenges that the world experiences.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo Reg. No. 97Q19783

Reg. No. 97Q19783

Scoring Guide:
Each answer shall be evaluated using these criteria:
Quality of ideas ------------------------ 10 pts.
Content ----------------------------------- 15 pts.
Organization ------------------------------ 10 pts.
Language facility ----------------------- 10 pts.
Neatness ---------------------------------- 5 pts.
Total: 50 pts.

VI. References

Claudio, L. & Abinales, P. (2018). The Contemporary World. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.

Benedict, K. (2001). International Encyclopedia of the Social Behavioral Sciences. Elsevier Ltd.

Chanborey, C. Global governance? (2013) Retrieved: https://www.slideshare.net/HelenSakhan/1-global-

governance?next_slideshow=1

Kurniawan, Y. Global Governance. (2012). Retrieved: https://www.slideshare.net/azhymatullya/global-governance-

15933901

History.com Editors. United Nations. (2018). A&E Television Networks. Retrieved:

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/united-nations

History of the UN. (2020). Retrieved:

https://www.un.org/un70/en/content/history/index.html#:~:text=The%20United%20Nations%20is%20an,livin
g%20standards%20and%20human%20rights

Threats, Challenges and Change: The United Nations in the 21st Century. (2004). Retrieved:
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/threats-challenges-and-change-the-united-nations-the-21st-century

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (2020). Retrieved:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_High_Commissioner_for_Refugees

Weiss, T., Hobsbawm, R. & Eric, J. (1996). The United Nations Meets the Twenty-first Century: Confronting the
Challenges of Global Governance.

----End of Module 1, Lesson 1----

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