International Organisations

This subject is about the role of international organisations in global politics and governance. States have established these formal institutions to better cooperate in addressing global economic, environmental, and security problems, but there is considerable debate in international relations scholarship about their efficacy. In this subject, we will critically assess the world’s foremost international organisations, notably the United Nations and its many specialised agencies, international financial institutions including the World Bank and World Trade Organization, and regional organisations, such as the European Union and NATO. We will ask: to what extent do these organisations only reflect the interests of powerful member states? To what extent can they address global inequality and empower marginalised peoples? Do they enable or constrain efforts toward a more sustainable world? These questions and others will lead us to a better understanding of the factors that shape these organisations, the ways in which they operate, and the impact they have in global politics.