International Organizations Theory

Theoretical FoundationsNvard V. Manasian [email protected]

Nvard V. Manasian [email protected]

Among the multitude of theories explaining GG we will concentrate on the 4 main theories that discuss the nature and role of individuals, state, sovereignty and the interactions of those:LIBERALISMFunctionalism, International Regimes, collective goodsREALISMCONSTRUCTIVISMRational Choice,Hegemonic StabilityMARXISMDependency theoryNvard V. Manasian [email protected]


It stems from the principle of human nature being GOODInstead it is the inadequate social institutions and misunderstanding of leaders that created INJUSTICE, AGRESSION and WARBeing inevitable these vices could be minimized through multilateral action and institutional reformAnd that is where democracy and market capitalism become pillars of HUMAN FREEDOMNvard V. Manasian [email protected]


Enlightenment: Humans are rational and they can continuously improve their conditions by just societies19th century L: Modernize via scientific and industrial revolutions to come to a democratic society and free trade20th century L: collective security, self-determination, no power politics and prevention of war

This has shaped the LIBERAL thought dwelling on the belief that cooperation is possible, peace could be achieved through interdependence, knowledge, democratic values and international organizations do work.Nvard V. Manasian [email protected] Grotius worked as a jurist in the Dutch Republic. He is one of the founding father of international law (where the subjects are states) based on natural law.


The aftermath of WWII was characterized by realism1970s increased interdependence of states revived the liberal thoughtPrisoners dilemma was used to justify that states are bound to cooperate in a long run


Prisoner B Stays SilentPrisoner B BetraysPrisoner A Stays SilentEach serves 6 monthsPrisoner A: 10 years Prisoner B: goes freePrisoner A BetraysPrisoner A: goes free Prisoner B: 10 yearsEach serves 5 years


The fundamental principle of F is that states and individuals have basic or functional needsFs see economic and social international cooperation as prerequisites for peace and security, in this context the special agencies of UN are explained (exp. WB, UNICEF, etc.)Promotes a web of activities that would bring to more interconnectedness and thus, interdependenceKey role of experts and their identity loss, loyalty vs. trustF stands behind the drive of IGOs and not surprisingly most of them sprung after WWII, both regional and globalF fails to explain why the wars remain? How to separate technical and political issues?Nvard V. Manasian [email protected]


1970s legal thought dwelled not only on the formal arrangements, but also on informal rules and norms that could be standardized and codified (think of Bologna process as an example)Here hegemonic states play a role and realism counts as much as liberalismIGOs playing a major role in creating and legitimizing the rules (exp. Convention on Crimes against Humanity)



Common grazing are for herdsCollective Goods tangible and intangible such as peace, environment, financial stability, Internet, quality, etc.Collective goods asks for interwoven action and interdependent activity, here market fails to provide mechanisms for CG, so other arrangements are neededMutual trust developed and built via monitoring (exp. ENQA)CG theory is used when explaining the Ozone layer and high seas cooperation and arrangements and justify the need for UN and other multilateralsNvard V. Manasian [email protected]


Individuals seek to maximize their power and pursue their interestsR centers the action around the state which acts through balance of powerInternational Organizations are tools to be used by states for their own interest, so the tools cannot transform the actors as R believesR does not rule out the IR, but has doubt about the NGOs and MNCs, much less the independence of IGOsNvard V. Manasian [email protected]


Unlike Rs NRs emphasize the international structures and explain the GG by the absence of global authority and the power of statesStructural constraints over agents motivationsSecurity Dilemma , i. e. two or more states conflict even though none wants itBalance of power drives states to forge alliances with othersAnarchy (caused by international system) leads to insecurity and warIGOs roles are exaggerated and they are not apt to promote stability



States have objective and material conditionsStates action is a function of utility, which explains its engagement in any multilateral activityStates dont rely solely on their powerStates use the international system to advance their national interestsWhat RC theorists fail to understand is that states action is not only a function of utility but of INFORMATION, which is not always thereNvard V. Manasian [email protected]


H is a hybrid of liberal, public goods and realist theoriesHegemonic states use their power in certain waysHS believes that open market is a public good that needs a strong state to be the guardianIt is the propagator and hence the driver behind the free trade and democratic values as tenets of piece and securityExamples of Great Britain and the US after WWIINvard V. Manasian [email protected]


Fairly new concept that explains the role of normsIt is a behaviouralist approach, in which all the players of IR have certain beliefs, socially constructed rules and cultural practicesC core is embedded with identity and interests that form behaviors locally and globallyFor Cs state interest is socially constructedSovereignty and its evolution redefines the identityExamples of poverty agenda of the WB and humanitarian rules of ICRC



Resulting from an uneven economic developmentCOLONIALISMNEOCOLONIALISMSought to maximize material Sought to maximize the dependence gain through power control of ex-colonies on the surplus of domestic goodsGG is based on power, process of production and class relationsFor Ms the IGOs are dominated by a group of powerful states that drive the agenda and have higher gains, WB and IMF are seen as vices that perpetuate this International SystemNvard V. Manasian [email protected]


Unequal trade between developed and developing statesIGOs and MNCs based in developed nations help to perpetuate this inequality1970s (mostly in Latin America and Africa) witnessed un upsurge of import substitution, which collapsed in 1990s and asked for structural adjustmentsThe inequalities of power and wealth should be redistributed via new global orderNvard V. Manasian [email protected]


Nvard V. Manasian [email protected] are but tools to a status quo of imbalanceWidening gap between the poor and rich states and people has fueled the interest in WST


So far the discourse and theory was more centered around the states, but the organizations have their roles and influence as well, which is being studied:

Organizational Culture-bureaucracies shaping state policy, IGOs shaping?Organizational Adaptation and Learning- how the change occurs?Inter - organizational Relations- how the cooperation evolves? Exp. WB from sole player to a partner like institutionNetworks- what are they, how they get formed? Universities as gate keepers?Nvard V. Manasian [email protected]


International Organizations Theory

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