88-270 International Organizations Units: 9.0 Department: Social & Decision Sci. Related URLs: http://hss.cmu.edu/HTML/departments/sds/ The international system is often characterized as anarchical. Over time, however, nation states have created international organizations which help to provide rules and structures to manage inter-state interaction. International organizations participate in a wide variety of global challenges: the regulation of the international commons, the promotion of economic and social development, the provision of public services, and the enforcement of global human rights norms. Are international organizations simply another way for states to pursue their national interests, or are they venues in which competing expectations about norms of international interaction can be created and reinforced? This course will explore and analyze a number of approaches to understanding international organizations. It will explore formal international organizations (the United Nations), regional organizations (the European Union, EU), international regulatory agencies (International Civil Aviation Organization), and non-governmental organizations (Human Rights Watch and Greenpeace International). The overall objectives of the course require that students: 1. Understand the evolution of international organizations and explore the roles, processes and functions of international organizations in todays world; 2. Identify the various types of international organizations and discuss the important characteristics of each; 3. Discuss the various theories and concepts used to study international organizations; 4. Evaluate the past and present performance and future prospects of international organizations.

Discuss this course  Textbook prices  View FCE Results  View FCE Results Prior to Fall 2004  Check Availability   Popularity index Rank for this semester: #0 Rank in this department: #0   Students also scheduled 99-241 Revolutions of Circularity 99-234 Art/Engineering-Nature/Culture-Huma... 99-231 Environmental and Early Warnings 99-230 Environmental Geology 88-358 Policy Making Institutions 88-307 Principles of Individual and Collec... 88-251 Empirical Research Methods 88-220 Policy Analysis I 88-205 Comparative Politics 88-184 Topics of Law: The Bill of Rights