LESSON 4 Notes

LESSON 4 – The United Nations and Contemporary Global Governance
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Define global governance;
2. Identify the roles and functions of United Nations; and
3. Determine the challenges of global governance in the twenty-first century.
I. INTRODUCTION:
Although many internationalists like Bentham and Kant imagined the possibility of global government,
nothing of the sort exists today. There is no one organization that various states are accountable to.
Moreover, no organization can militarily compel a state to obey predetermined global rules.
States more or less follow global navigation routes and more than not often respect territorial boundaries.
Like when Russia invaded Crimea in 2014 – it becomes a cause for global concern and debate. The fact that
states in an international order continue to adhere to certain global norms means that there is semblance of
world order despite the lack of single world government. Global governance refers tot the various
intersecting processes that create this order.
There are many sources of global governance:

1. States sign treaties and form organizations – process of legislating public International Law
2. International (NGOs) – IAP NGO – they will pressure governments to pass a such laws. Though not
having formal state power, can lobby individual states to behave in a certain way (for example, an
international animal protection NGO can pressure governments to pass animal cruelty laws). Powerful
transnational corporation can likewise have tremendous effects on global labor laws, environmental
legislation, trade policy, etc. Even ideas such as the need for “global democracy” or the clamor for
“good governance” can influence the ways international actors behave.
One lesson will not be able to cover the various ways global governance occurs. As such, this lesson
will only examine how global governance is articulated by intergovernmental organizations. It will focus
primary on the United Nations (UN) as the most prominent intergovernmental organization today.
Before we go on to our main topic which is the UN, we must first understand the IOs and are they functions.
What is an International Organization (IOs)?

When scholars refer to group like UN or institution like the IMF and the World Bank, they usually call
them international organizations (IOs). Although international NGOs are sometimes considered as IOs, the
term commonly used to refer to international intergovernmental organizations or groups that are primary
made up of member-state.
Some misconception of IO’s – fallacy (illogical error)

• They are merely amalgamations of various state interest
• In 1960s and 1970s, many scholars believed that IOs were just venues where the contradiction, but
sometimes intersecting, agendas of countries were discussed – no more than “talk shops”.
But IO’s can become influential as independent organizations. The following are the list of powers of
IOs by International relations scholars Michael N. Barnett and Martha Finnemore:
• Power of classification – Because IOs can invent and apply categories, they powerful global
standards. For example, it is the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that defines what a
refugee is. And since sates are required to accept refugees entering their borders, this power to
establish identity has concrete effects. Other examples of IOs are
(UNHCDR)(UNCLOS)(ILO)(WHO)(FAO)(ITU)(IMO)(WTO).
• Power to fix meanings – this is a broader function related to the first. 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.
• Power to diffuse norms – IO’s do not only classify and fix meanings; they also spread their ideas
across the world, thereby establishing global standards. Their power to diffuse norms stems from the
fact that IOs are staffed with independent bureaucracies, who are considered experts in various
fields. For example, World Bank economist come to regarded as expert in development and thus
carry some from authority. They can, therefore, create norms regarding the implementation and
conceptualization of development.
Because of these immense powers, IOs can be sources of great good an great harm. They can
promote relevant norms like environmental protection and human rights. But, other entrenched
bureaucracies, they can become sealed-off communities that fail to challenge their beliefs. For example,
the Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz famously criticized the IMF for using a “one-size-fits-
all” approach when its economists made recommendations to developing countries.
II. The United Nations
Countries in North Atlantic and Europe agreed to make the League of Nations after the end of WWI
but suddenly this International Group was failed because of Adolf Hitler and resulted to WWII. Countries
worried another global war that is why on Oct. 24 1945 , San Francisco California US they established the
United Nations (UN). Main headquarters is in New York with 193 members as of now.
There are 5 main organs of UN:
1. General Assembly (GA)

● UN’s “main deliberative policymaking and representative organ. 2/3
- GA elect president to serve 1 year term of office
- Carlos P. Romulo – GA president form 1949-1950
- Annually
2. Security Council (SC)
- most powerful
- 15 members states
- GA elects 10 countries with two-year terms
- The other 5 or Permanent five (P5) cannot be replaced they are the China, France, Russia,
United Kingdom, and United States.
What is the function of SC?.
• Takes lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or an act of aggression.
(EJK)
• Settle, recommends of adjustment or terms of settlement.
• Imposing sanctions
Because of this… military intervention may be deemed legal.
3. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- The principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue, and recommendations on
social and environmental issues
- Implementation of internationally agreed development goals
- 54 members – 3 year terms
- Currently sustainable development
4. International Court of Justice (ICJ)

- Task “is to settle, accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by states and
to give advisory opinions referred to it by authorized UN organs and specialized agencies.
- The major cases of the court consist of disputes between states that voluntarily submit
themselves to the court for arbitration. The court, as such, cannot try individuals (international
criminal cases are heard by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is independent of UN),
and its decisions are only before the court’s authority. The SC may enforce the rulings of the
ICJ, but this remains subject to the P5’s veto power.
5. Secretariat
- Consist of the “Secretary-General and tens of thousands of international UN staff member who
carry out day-to-day work of UN as mandated by General Assembly and the organization’s
other principal organs. As such, it is the bureaucracy of the UN, serving as a kind of international
UN employees and not as state representatives.
I. Challenges of United Nations

1. Limitations – respect the sovereignty every states – VOLUNTARY
2. Issues of security – military interventions e.g. US intervene Kosovo War & Syria civil war
3. Ineffectual
III. CONCLUSION
Global governance is such a complex issue that one can actually teach an entire course in itself.
This lesson has focused on the IOs and the United Nations in particular. International organizations are
highlighted because they are the most visible symbols of global governance. The UN, in particular, is the
closest to the world government. What is important to remember is the international institutions like the UN
are always in a precarious position. On the one hand they are groups of sovereign states. On the other, they
are organization with their own rationalities and agendas. It is this tension that will continue to inform the
evolution of these organization.
However, note that there are many institutions, groups, and ideas that hold international global
politics together. In your own time, you may want to explore these topics on your own.
References:
Claudio L & Abinales P., (2018), The Contemporary World C & E Publishing, Inc., 839 EDSA, South
Triangle, Quezon City.
Aldama P., (2018), The Contemporary World, Rex Book Store, Inc., Sampalok, Manila
Peterson Institute for economics (2018). What is Globalization? Retrieved from

https://www.piie.com/microsites/globalization/what-is-globalization on May 28, 2020

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LESSON 4 – The United Nations and Contemporary Global Governance

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

There are many sources of global governance:

What is an International Organization (IOs)?

Some misconception of IO’s – fallacy (illogical error)

II. The United Nations

There are 5 main organs of UN:

1. General Assembly (GA)

4. International Court of Justice (ICJ)

I. Challenges of United Nations

Peterson Institute for economics (2018). What is Globalization? Retrieved from

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