United Nations & Globalization

Priority Reg: IO/UNS Specialization. This course introduces the various ways in which the United Nations affects global governance. Over the last decade, every aspect of global governance has been subject to review and debate: peacekeeping and peacebuilding, the future of humanitarianism, a new climate change architecture, human rights, a new sustainable development agenda, and the need for a new multilateralism. Part 1 of this course introduces the different actors, entities, and platforms through which the UN affects global governance. It establishes the conceptual foundations for the role of international organizations in today’s multiplex world. It sheds light on how the UN acts at various levels, in different forms, and with a varied set of partners to foster global public goods and global public policy. This includes discussions on the role of international law, goal setting, and frameworks, as well as the interlinkages between global-level interventions and regional, national, and local activities and outcomes. Part 2 applies the conceptual insights to specific issue areas. Discussions on global governance mechanisms in the areas of peace and security, humanitarian action, sustainable development, climate change, human rights, global health, and COVID-19 deepen the understanding of the role the UN plays in broader governance regimes. In addition to critical scholarship on international organizations and global governance, the course relies on students’ analysis of relevant proceedings and debates at the UN, original policy documents, and expert testimony from a range of guest speakers who share their extensive firsthand observations as actors in global governance processes. By these means, United Nations and Globalization offers insights into the processes, challenges, and impacts of UN activities to make global governance regimes stronger, more effective, and more accountable.