The United Nations in the 21st century

Mingst, Karen A. 1947- (author.). Karns, Margaret P., (author.). Lyon, Alynna, 1969- (author.).

Summary: "This popular text for courses on international organizations and international relations provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the United Nations, exploring the historical, institutional, and theoretical foundations of the UN as well as the political processes and issues facing the organization today. Thoroughly revised throughout, the fifth edition focuses on major trends since 2012, including changing power dynamics, increasing threats to peace and security, and the growing challenges of climate change and sustainability. It examines the proliferating public-private partnerships involving the UN and the debates over reforming the Security Council and the Secretary-General selection process. This edition also includes case studies on peacekeeping and the use of force in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali, transnational terrorism and the emergence of ISIS, the Security Council's failure to act in Syria, the Syrian and global refugee/migrant crisis, and the conclusion of the Millennium Development Goals and framing of the Sustainable Development Goals"--

Record details

ISBN: 9780813349640
ISBN: 0813349648
Physical Description: print
xviii, pages 23 cm.
Edition: Fifth edition.
Publisher: Boulder, CO : Westview Press, an imprint of Perseus Books, [2017]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Machine generated contents note: 1. United Nations in World Politics -- United Nations in World Politics: Vision and Reality -- Contending International Relations Theories -- Dilemmas the UN Faces in the Twenty-First Century -- Structure of the Book -- 2. Evolution of the United Nations System -- League of Nations -- Origins of the United Nations -- Organization of the United Nations -- Persistent Organizational Problems and the Challenges of Reform -- 3. Actors in the United Nations System -- Role of States -- Coalitions, Blocs, and the Importance of Consensus -- Secretary-General and the UN Secretariat as Key Actors -- Nonstate Actors: The Third UN -- 4. Maintaining International Peace and Security -- Linking International Relations Theories -- Maintaining Peace and Security: The UN Charter and Its Evolution -- Mechanisms for Peaceful Settlement and Preventive Diplomacy -- Collective Security, Enforcement, and Sanctions -- Peace Operations: Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding -- Humanitarian Intervention (R2P and POC): Providing Human Security -- Arms Control and Disarmament -- Coping with Terrorism -- Future Challenges for the UN's Role in Peace and Security -- 5. Economic Development and Sustainability -- Organization of the UN System for Promoting Economic Development -- UN and Evolving Ideas About Development -- UN and Other Actors -- Lessons Learned -- Persistent Dilemmas -- 6. Human Rights -- From the League of Nations to the United Nations -- UN Charter Principles and Organizational Structures -- Role of the UN in Human Rights -- Role of Nongovernmental Organizations -- Case Studies of the UN System in Action -- Evaluating the UN's Human Rights Record -- 7. Human Security: The Environment, Health, and Migration -- Expanded View of Security -- Protection of the Environment -- Health and Human Security -- Human Security: The Refugee and Migration Crisis -- Dilemmas in Human Security -- 8. Is There a Future for the United Nations? -- Does the UN Make a Difference? -- Lessons About What the UN Cannot Do -- Factors in UN Success and Failure -- Can the UN Be Reformed? -- Linking the UN to Global Governance.