| Synopsis: |
Fifty years after the establishment of the United Nations, inter-governmental organizations appear to be a central component of modern international society. This textbook, written for students of both international law and international relations, examines their functions and powers and places them in their legal and political setting. It also discusses the theory of the international institutional system. As well as describing the main international organizations, such as the UN, the author addresses fundamental issues such as the development of world and regional government, the rule of law, the decline of sovereign equality and the concepts of implied and inherent powers. The book also examines how, if at all, organizations co-ordinate their activities and explains the relative merits of a universal approach, as opposed to a regional or functional approach to international organization. In addition, the book contains an account of the powers and practice of organizations in three crucial areas - security, human rights and the environment. |