Introduction to International Organizations

Common Characteristics of International Organizations

(1) Created between states (2) Intentionally created (3) Distinct will - IO has a purpose and has a legal personality that is distinct from member states

Defining Law for Purposes of International Organizations

(1) Enforcement - authority to provoke compliance (2) Rules - standards, norms, guidelines and principles (3) Governing (4) Relationships (5) Actors - persons (natural persons and legal persons), government, states, society

Classification Methods for IOs

(1) IGO vs NGO (2) Function (3) Membership (open or closed) (4) Geography (5) Political or technical (6) Intergovernmental or Supranational

Three Legal Relationships of the International Organization

(1) International Organization and Member State (2) Internal Relationships within the Organization (3) International Organization and the Outside World

Idealism

Actors cooperate to combat problems that require joint effort

Functionalism

Cooperation is used complete functions of the state. If the IO fulfills non-political functions of a state the result could be cooperation that could then organically dissolve political discord and provide an organic transition into a politically unified organization. Because the functions of the IO are non-political, then the IO should not be interfered with as it fulfills those functions.

Republican Realism

Cooperation needed to reinforce domestic matters

Cost/benefit

Costs of not participating are too high (or vice versa)

Democratic Peace Theory

Democracies are inclined to cooperate and not cause war

Intergovernmental Organization (IGO)

Members are nation-states and developed as a result of interstate cooperation

Non-governmental Organization

Members are private citizens/entities organized in a manner of an interest group whose goals are to promote a variety of issues

Regime theory

States cooperate because a little piece of something is better than that which would from non-cooperation Absolute gains>relative gains

Realism

To ensure survival states cooperate to advance their interests

Scapegoat Theory

Use the IO to be the scapegoat for domestic policy failures or inaction