International Organizations

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International Organizations
Introduction to Global StudiesXIDS 2301
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IGOs vs. NGOs
From the book IGOs 1900 few dozen 2008 300 NGOs
1909 175 2002 45,000
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Intergovernmental Organizations Key conceptual
points By definition, there is no
authority/government above states IGOs can be
seen as a form of geopolitics, which emerged with
space-time compression Specifically, in
late 1800s as result of space-compressing
technologies and European imperial expansionism
? states moved closer
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Intergovernmental Organizations Key conceptual
points IGOs are one way in which global
political space is being (re)constructed Intensif
ication of global enmeshment ? growing
institutionalization of global politics Why?
coordination, standardization, management,
facilitation, prevention, regulation, and
adjudication and avoidance of conflicts related
to social flows and relations that operate and
stretch across state spaces strategically
participate in shaping individual states
relationship to those flows Flows trade,
foreign investment, financial commodities
(including money), tourism, migration, cultural
practices, hazardous waste, knowledge, crime,
narcotics, ecological impacts
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Intergovernmental Organizations Late 1800s/early
1900s was important moment (first age of
globalization) First major IGOs ? were intended
to establish an international order conducive
to stability and, thus, the international
expansion of industrial capitalism
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Intergovernmental Organizations Post WWII period
was second important moment Realization of the
need for inter-state (international)
cooperation Continued creation of IGOs and
quasi-IGOs represents a process of
internationalizing the state e.g. US
and British Treasury officials are in regular,
active contact with each other and the
IMF policymaking conferences are crucially
important (G-20, IMF, EU meetings)
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Intergovernmental Organizations We live in a
world of international regimes ? forms of
international governance that are distinct from
government defined in terms of sovereign
political power Regulate specific sectors of
international or global activity, e.g.
telecommunications, human rights, etc. We have a
global system of governance without
government In other words, perhaps there is to
some degree emergent political authorities above
the state e.g. the existence of international
human rights is an intervention in the internal
affairs of sovereign state
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Nongovernmental Organizations International or
transnational NGOs exist to coordinate action at
a distance, i.e. to organize communities of
interest across territorial boundaries They
institutionalize social, cultural, political
relations beyond/across national
societies Different types Criticisms of
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