All programmes > Course: International Organisation

International Organisation (B-KUL-S0A57B)

5.0 ECTS Dutch 39.0 First termFirst term Basic
Drieskens Edith
POC Politieke wetenschappen

Aims

To understand the position, role and function of international organizations within the system of global governance. 
-To be acquainted with the structure, working, function and relevance of a number of global and regional international organizations (UN, NATO, IMF, World Bank, G7/8). 
-To be able to interpret the current controversial issues in these organizations and their challenges towards the future.
-To understand recent developments towards new forms of international organizations.

Course material

Text book
Articles and literature
Slides, transparencies, courseware
Toledo / e-platform

Is also included in other courses

Activities

5.0 ects. International Organisation (B-KUL-S0A57a)

5.0 ECTS Dutch 39.0 First termFirst term
Drieskens Edith
POC Politieke wetenschappen

Content

After an introductory chapter on the rationality behind the existence of international organizations and their genesis, the policy of the following organizations will be discussed: the UN (including interference with and without force, financing and the effect of permanent membership of the Security Council on the functioning of the UN), the WTO (with a lot of attention to dispute resolution and its actual functioning, to the relation between GATS and GATT 1994, to the results to the Uruguay Round and the current built-in agenda of the WTO), the IMF (including the meaning of the IMF facilities to the developing countries and the current discussion on the responsibilities of the IMF in light of the frequently appearing financial crises in the so-called emergent economies), the World Bank Group (including, apart from the discussion of the IBRD, the IDA, the IFC, the MIGA, as well as a thorough evaluation of the Structural Adaptation Programmes and of the discussions within the IBRD regarding local involvement, poverty fight and durable development), the NATO (with attention to the changing position of the EU member states within), and the OSCE (and the role which it plays or attempts to play in conflict prevention and the "aftercare" in crisis situations).

Aims

This course gives insight into the position and function of international organizations within the system of global governance, especially into (1) the function, relevance, structure and working of a number of specific global and regional organizations and (2) the call for reform and the reality of groupbuilding.

Course material

The subject matter encompasses the content of the lectures, including the lectures taught by a guest speaker, and the texts from the reader. Exceptions and other remarks will be communicated in the lectures and via Toledo. 
The reader is available at the start of the lectures (paper version is obtainable via politika, e-copy via Toledo) also contains the chapters we discussed in the manual of Karns and Mingst: Karns, M. Mingst, K. (2009) International Organizations. The Politics and Process of Global Governance. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Students are free to choose whether they attend the lectures or not; there is no special guidance for students with a job.

Evaluation

Evaluation: International Organisation (B-KUL-S2A57b)

Mode of evaluation : Written
Category : final examination during examination period