INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION: SUMMARY
READINGS AND NOTES
SEMINARIES (2024)
1
,Contents
Class 1: The crisis of the international order..........................................................................................6
1. Exam information..........................................................................................................................6
2. This course is about….....................................................................................................................7
3. MAIN FOCUS: crisis of the international order...............................................................................7
4. Theoretical approach of the course...............................................................................................8
5. Practical: what is this course like?.................................................................................................9
6. Text 1: Ikenberry – Three worlds...................................................................................................9
Class 2 : Sovereignty and international order......................................................................................10
1. Text 3: Reus-Smith - The constitutional structure of international society and the nature of
fundamental institutions.................................................................................................................10
1.1. Summary...............................................................................................................................10
1.1.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................11
1.1.2. Fundamental institutions defined..................................................................................11
1.1.3. Existing explanations......................................................................................................12
1.2. Towards a new constructivist theory....................................................................................13
1.2.1. Communicative action and institutional construction...................................................14
1.2.2. State identity, sovereignty and political action..............................................................14
1.2.3. Constitutional structures................................................................................................14
1.2.4. Constitutional structures and institutional design and action........................................15
1.3. Comparing the ancient Greek and modern societies of states (less important)...................15
1.4. Ancient Greek society of states.............................................................................................16
1.4.1. Ancient Greek constitutional structure..........................................................................16
1.4.2. Interstate arbitration.....................................................................................................16
1.5. Modern international society...............................................................................................17
1.5.1. The modern constitutional structure.............................................................................17
1.5.2. Foundation: the Hague..................................................................................................17
1.5.3. Construction: Versailles.................................................................................................18
1.5.4. Renovation: San Francisco.............................................................................................18
1.6. Conclusion.............................................................................................................................18
2. Text 4: Paris - The right to dominate............................................................................................19
2.1. Main research question in the text.......................................................................................19
2.2. Questions to prepare............................................................................................................20
Class 3: Hierarchy and international order..........................................................................................22
1. Text 5: Keene - Case study of the construction of international hierarchy: British treaty making
against the slave trade in the early nineteenth century..................................................................22
2
, 1.1. Short summary......................................................................................................................22
1.2. Discussion in class.................................................................................................................22
2. Text 6: Buzas -Racism and anti-racism in the liberal international order (Buzas)........................23
Class 4: International organizations and normative change................................................................24
1. Intro.............................................................................................................................................24
2. Actua............................................................................................................................................24
3. Text 7: Finnemore - International organizations as teachers of norms........................................25
3.1. Summary...............................................................................................................................25
3.1.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................25
3.1.2. The article makes a contribution to 3 theoretical debates.............................................26
3.1.3. Conclusions and implications.........................................................................................26
3.1.4. Why would unesco do this?...........................................................................................27
3.1.5. Why would those developing states accept the offer?..................................................28
3.2. Discussion in class.................................................................................................................28
4. Text 8: Why international organizations commit to liberal norms (Tallberg Jonas).....................31
4.1. Discussion text......................................................................................................................31
4.1.1. Essence of the article?...................................................................................................31
4.1.2. Link to the other text:....................................................................................................31
4.2. Summary text........................................................................................................................32
4.2.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................32
4.2.2. Liberal norm commitments by IOS.................................................................................34
4.2.3. Explaining norm commitments by IOS: theories and hypotheses..................................35
4.2.3.1. Explanation 1: external conditions → diffusion of global liberal scripts..................35
4.2.3.2. Explanation 2: internal conditions for norm entrepreneurship → democratic
density and institutional design...........................................................................................36
4.2.4. EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS.....................................................................................................37
4.2.5. Results............................................................................................................................38
4.2.6. Conclusion......................................................................................................................40
Class 5: International organizations and normative contestation........................................................41
1. Actua............................................................................................................................................41
2. Text 9: Bettiza - Authoritarian powers and norm contestation....................................................42
2.1. Link text 9 en 10: NORM CONTESTATION.............................................................................42
2.2. Question: are rising authoritarian powers converging towards or challenging the normative
structures of the liberal order?....................................................................................................43
2.3. 4 modes of contestation are identified:................................................................................43
2.4. Summary text........................................................................................................................44
3
, 2.4.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................44
2.4.2. Conclusion summary......................................................................................................44
3. Text 10: Morse and Keohane - Contested multilateralism...........................................................45
3.1. Link wit the other text →......................................................................................................45
3.2. Interpretation prof................................................................................................................45
3.3. Important to remember........................................................................................................45
3.4. Summary text........................................................................................................................46
3.4.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................46
3.4.2. Contested multilateralism defined.................................................................................47
3.4.3. Two basic types of contested multilateralism................................................................48
3.4.3.1. Regime shifting........................................................................................................48
3.4.3.1.1. State-led regime shifting..................................................................................48
3.4.3.1.2. Institution-led regime shifting..........................................................................49
3.4.3.2. Competitive regime creation...................................................................................49
Class 6: Global (un)civil society............................................................................................................52
1. Situating the texts in the overall course:.....................................................................................52
2. Text 11: Alex Cooley et al - Transnational uncivil society networks: kleptocracy’s global fightback
against liberal activism.....................................................................................................................53
2.1. Discussion text......................................................................................................................53
2.2. Summary text........................................................................................................................54
2.2.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................54
2.2.2. Transnational uncivil society vs transnational activist networks....................................54
2.2.3. Example: UNESCO Obiang Mbasogo prize for ‘improving the quality of human life’.....54
2.2.4. Theoretical contours: from tans to tusns.......................................................................55
3. Text 12: Stroup - Authority, strategy and influence.....................................................................55
3.1. Discussion text......................................................................................................................55
3.2. Summary text........................................................................................................................58
3.2.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................58
3.2.2. Environmentalism as a category of NGO work...............................................................58
3.2.2.1. Strategic choices of NGOs to alter policy and social practice..................................59
3.2.2.2. How differing levels of authority affect how NGOs engage with corporations →
case study............................................................................................................................60
3.2.2.3. Strategic choices and future challenges..................................................................61
3.2.3. Strategic choices............................................................................................................62
3.2.4. Conclusion......................................................................................................................63
Class 7: Populism and international order...........................................................................................64
4
, 1. Actua:...........................................................................................................................................64
2. Text 13: Zurn - The politicization of world politics and its effects: eight propositions.................65
2.1. Summary text........................................................................................................................65
2.1.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................65
2.1.2. Politicization as a concept..............................................................................................66
2.1.3. The politicization of international institutions...............................................................67
2.1.4. The effects on international institutions:.......................................................................68
2.1.4.1. Effects on politics in national democracies.............................................................69
2.1.4.2. At the international level........................................................................................69
2.1.5. Conclusion:.....................................................................................................................70
2.2. Discussion text in class..............................................................................................................70
3. Text 14: Yanik, Korkut, … - Contesting the corrupt elites, creating the pure people, and
renegotiating the hierarchies of the international order? Populism and foreign policy-making in
Turkey and Hungary.........................................................................................................................73
3.1. Discussion in class.................................................................................................................73
Class 8: Humanitarian governance......................................................................................................75
1. Text 15: Barnett - Evolution without progress? Humanitarianism in a world of hurt..................75
1.1. Bespreking van de tekst........................................................................................................75
1.2. Summary text........................................................................................................................77
1.2.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................77
1.3. Evolutionary theory...........................................................................................................78
1.3.1. EVOLVING HUMANITARIANISM.................................................................................79
1.3.2. HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS IN A WORLD OF HURT.........................................80
1.4. CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................80
2. Text 16: o’Hagan and Hirono - Fragmentation of the international humanitarian order?
understanding cultures of humanitarianism in east Asia.................................................................80
2.1. Discussion in class.................................................................................................................80
Class 9: Environmental governance.....................................................................................................81
1. Text 17: Young.............................................................................................................................81
2. Text 18: Allen...............................................................................................................................82
Class 10: The international politics of genocide...................................................................................83
1. Text 19: Dirk Mose - Diplomacy of genocide................................................................................83
1.1. Summary text........................................................................................................................83
1.2. Discussion in class.................................................................................................................84
2. Text 20: Peak - halting genocide in a post-liberal international order: intervention, institutions
and norms........................................................................................................................................85
2.1. Summary of the text.............................................................................................................85
5
, 2.1.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................85
2.1.2. From LIO to RIO..............................................................................................................86
2.1.3. Genocide prevention and the LIO..................................................................................86
2.1.4. How will genocide end in the RIO?................................................................................87
2.1.5. Conclusion......................................................................................................................87
2.2. Discussion of the text............................................................................................................87
Class 1: The crisis of the international order
Legenda
Questions to think about for the exam
Important concepts
Important added information from the seminaries
1. Exam information
EXAMPLE:
- Under which conditions do NGOs get to collaborate with business actors?
- And why do they want to do this?
- Is it advisable for NGOs to develop this kind of strategies?
6
,Questions about 1 text!! No main exam questions about different classes or texts and how
they are linked, but the follow up questions can be related to different topics!
- What explains the politicization of humanitarianism?
Important: causal links and arguments in the texts!
2. This course is about….
‘International organization’: the way in which the modern society of nations governs itself
On the distinction between ‘international organizations’ and ‘international organization’
- Formal institutions, with headquarters, staff and mandates
o Regional, global
o Comprehensive, Issue-specific
- “how the modern society of nations governs itself”
o By way of formal institutions
o More general (informal) rules and norms
‘The society of nations’:
- Share a physical space: they are competing for resources
- But this is not really what the course is about
- They also share a social sphere, more important for this course!!
- = An assumption (some scholars don’t consider there to be a society of
nations)
- The assumption is in the title of the course: IO
- They are not just sharing a social space, they are also aware of joint
problems and they commit more or less to managing those common
problems
- Questions:
- Which are those common problems?
- Issues like climate change?
- But mainly: coexistence
- How do they manage this?
- !! So, it’s important to remember that this is all based on assumptions, but we
won’t question the assumptions in the course but we’ll focus on the HOW:
how do they manage their common problems?
- ⇒ Does not govern itself through the establishment of formal institutions BUT also
through informal rules
- = Rules that haven’t been codified or institutionalized
3. MAIN FOCUS: crisis of the international order
7
,There is a widespread sentiment that there is a crisis of the international order today
Text 1 (3 worlds): Ikenberry says there is a crisis of the liberal international order
Critique on his argument:
- He is focusing on rules that shape the international order
- There are alternative perspectives: which ones?
- Anarchy is an alternative → looking at the international order in terms
of polarity and the capabilities of states in the absence of 1 political
authority
- The global south is becoming more powerful
- Volatile international environment
- This causes the crisis of the liberal international order
- Tradition based foreign policy volgens iemand in de les….→ maar dit
gaat eerder over hoe staten zich effectief opstellen en gedragen
gebaseerd op hun cultuur dan over DE ORDE zelf → doesn’t tell us
anything about the international order (dus geen goed antwoord)
- Focus on other actors → organisations have a life on their own
- Nog een alternatief volgens de prof, maar wel moeilijk te vatten: je hebt
principes zoals sovereignty, territorial integrity, sovereign equality….
⇒ those rules are rooted way deeper then the liberal rules that shape
the liberal international order
- Gaat dus niet over human rights etc
- Gaat echt over die basiswaarden die door iedereen erkend
worden in het internationaal recht
- ⇒ THE QUESTION IS: what international order are we actually talking about when
we say there is a crisis of the international order?
- ⇒ And a second question: what is crisis?
- Sounds very negative, but for some people this ‘crisis’ might be positive….
- China might call this ‘crisis’ emancipation: there is a fragmentation and
an evolution, but not necessarily a crisis from all perspectives!
So main conclusion: We should ask ourselves: “Is it justified to talk about a crisis of the
international order? And what are we exactly talking about?”
4. Theoretical approach of the course
Constructivist approach → Prof K seems to be a constructivist
- He recognizes the balance of power, polarity, capabilities etc BUT
- We should focus on the fact that this all takes place in a social space
→ International organizations matter if they facilitate cooperation BUT they are also important
because of other reasons
>< liberal approach: international organisations only matter if they facilitate cooperation
8
,We analyse international organizations this way looking at power politics
- In NGOs etc
- In states
- In all types of contexts
But not only in the physical reality, also in the social reality!
5. Practical: what is this course like?
- Participation in negotiations: read the texts before the seminar and write down what is
unclear, what the tekst is about, what the most important arguments are and how you
can link this to anything you watched on the news/you read online this week!
- No slides
- Preparation fort he exam: study the main arguments of the texts, no details!
- The exam is oral: a bit like a discussion in class, he will ask questions and he’ll
keep talking and asking questions to know how far you can go
- You get some time to prepare the questions
- You also write a paper and participate in a round table discussion the paper should
be handed on the first day of the week of the round table discussion
6. Text 1: Ikenberry – Three worlds
In 2018, Ikenberry defined the liberal international order as…
…multilayered, multifaceted, and not simply a political formation imposed by the leading
state. International order is not “one thing” that states either join or resist. (see also p.5)
- It is an aggregation of various sorts of ordering rules and institutions.
- There are the deep rules and norms of sovereignty...
- There is a sprawling array of international institutions, regimes, treaties, agreements,
protocols, and so forth.
- These governing arrangements cut across diverse realms, including security and arms
control, the world economy, the environment and global commons, human rights, and
political relations.
- Some of these domains of governance may have rules and institutions that narrowly
reflect the interests of the hegemonic state, but most reflect negotiated outcomes
based on a much broader set of interests.
9
, Class 2 : Sovereignty and international order
1. Text 3: Reus-Smith - The constitutional structure of international society and
the nature of fundamental institutions
1.1. Summary
Nowadays, collective action between states is facilitated by various issue-specific regimes.
Most of these institutions are specific applications of the deeper institutional practices that
structure modern international society, namely positive law and multilateralism.
Two key observations can immediately be made about these fundamental institutions. On the
one hand, they are "generic structural elements" in international societies, forming a kind of
constant in international relations and thus not dependent on changes in the balance of power
10
ORGANIZATION: SUMMARY
READINGS AND NOTES
SEMINARIES (2024)
1
,Contents
Class 1: The crisis of the international order..........................................................................................6
1. Exam information..........................................................................................................................6
2. This course is about….....................................................................................................................7
3. MAIN FOCUS: crisis of the international order...............................................................................7
4. Theoretical approach of the course...............................................................................................8
5. Practical: what is this course like?.................................................................................................9
6. Text 1: Ikenberry – Three worlds...................................................................................................9
Class 2 : Sovereignty and international order......................................................................................10
1. Text 3: Reus-Smith - The constitutional structure of international society and the nature of
fundamental institutions.................................................................................................................10
1.1. Summary...............................................................................................................................10
1.1.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................11
1.1.2. Fundamental institutions defined..................................................................................11
1.1.3. Existing explanations......................................................................................................12
1.2. Towards a new constructivist theory....................................................................................13
1.2.1. Communicative action and institutional construction...................................................14
1.2.2. State identity, sovereignty and political action..............................................................14
1.2.3. Constitutional structures................................................................................................14
1.2.4. Constitutional structures and institutional design and action........................................15
1.3. Comparing the ancient Greek and modern societies of states (less important)...................15
1.4. Ancient Greek society of states.............................................................................................16
1.4.1. Ancient Greek constitutional structure..........................................................................16
1.4.2. Interstate arbitration.....................................................................................................16
1.5. Modern international society...............................................................................................17
1.5.1. The modern constitutional structure.............................................................................17
1.5.2. Foundation: the Hague..................................................................................................17
1.5.3. Construction: Versailles.................................................................................................18
1.5.4. Renovation: San Francisco.............................................................................................18
1.6. Conclusion.............................................................................................................................18
2. Text 4: Paris - The right to dominate............................................................................................19
2.1. Main research question in the text.......................................................................................19
2.2. Questions to prepare............................................................................................................20
Class 3: Hierarchy and international order..........................................................................................22
1. Text 5: Keene - Case study of the construction of international hierarchy: British treaty making
against the slave trade in the early nineteenth century..................................................................22
2
, 1.1. Short summary......................................................................................................................22
1.2. Discussion in class.................................................................................................................22
2. Text 6: Buzas -Racism and anti-racism in the liberal international order (Buzas)........................23
Class 4: International organizations and normative change................................................................24
1. Intro.............................................................................................................................................24
2. Actua............................................................................................................................................24
3. Text 7: Finnemore - International organizations as teachers of norms........................................25
3.1. Summary...............................................................................................................................25
3.1.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................25
3.1.2. The article makes a contribution to 3 theoretical debates.............................................26
3.1.3. Conclusions and implications.........................................................................................26
3.1.4. Why would unesco do this?...........................................................................................27
3.1.5. Why would those developing states accept the offer?..................................................28
3.2. Discussion in class.................................................................................................................28
4. Text 8: Why international organizations commit to liberal norms (Tallberg Jonas).....................31
4.1. Discussion text......................................................................................................................31
4.1.1. Essence of the article?...................................................................................................31
4.1.2. Link to the other text:....................................................................................................31
4.2. Summary text........................................................................................................................32
4.2.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................32
4.2.2. Liberal norm commitments by IOS.................................................................................34
4.2.3. Explaining norm commitments by IOS: theories and hypotheses..................................35
4.2.3.1. Explanation 1: external conditions → diffusion of global liberal scripts..................35
4.2.3.2. Explanation 2: internal conditions for norm entrepreneurship → democratic
density and institutional design...........................................................................................36
4.2.4. EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS.....................................................................................................37
4.2.5. Results............................................................................................................................38
4.2.6. Conclusion......................................................................................................................40
Class 5: International organizations and normative contestation........................................................41
1. Actua............................................................................................................................................41
2. Text 9: Bettiza - Authoritarian powers and norm contestation....................................................42
2.1. Link text 9 en 10: NORM CONTESTATION.............................................................................42
2.2. Question: are rising authoritarian powers converging towards or challenging the normative
structures of the liberal order?....................................................................................................43
2.3. 4 modes of contestation are identified:................................................................................43
2.4. Summary text........................................................................................................................44
3
, 2.4.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................44
2.4.2. Conclusion summary......................................................................................................44
3. Text 10: Morse and Keohane - Contested multilateralism...........................................................45
3.1. Link wit the other text →......................................................................................................45
3.2. Interpretation prof................................................................................................................45
3.3. Important to remember........................................................................................................45
3.4. Summary text........................................................................................................................46
3.4.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................46
3.4.2. Contested multilateralism defined.................................................................................47
3.4.3. Two basic types of contested multilateralism................................................................48
3.4.3.1. Regime shifting........................................................................................................48
3.4.3.1.1. State-led regime shifting..................................................................................48
3.4.3.1.2. Institution-led regime shifting..........................................................................49
3.4.3.2. Competitive regime creation...................................................................................49
Class 6: Global (un)civil society............................................................................................................52
1. Situating the texts in the overall course:.....................................................................................52
2. Text 11: Alex Cooley et al - Transnational uncivil society networks: kleptocracy’s global fightback
against liberal activism.....................................................................................................................53
2.1. Discussion text......................................................................................................................53
2.2. Summary text........................................................................................................................54
2.2.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................54
2.2.2. Transnational uncivil society vs transnational activist networks....................................54
2.2.3. Example: UNESCO Obiang Mbasogo prize for ‘improving the quality of human life’.....54
2.2.4. Theoretical contours: from tans to tusns.......................................................................55
3. Text 12: Stroup - Authority, strategy and influence.....................................................................55
3.1. Discussion text......................................................................................................................55
3.2. Summary text........................................................................................................................58
3.2.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................58
3.2.2. Environmentalism as a category of NGO work...............................................................58
3.2.2.1. Strategic choices of NGOs to alter policy and social practice..................................59
3.2.2.2. How differing levels of authority affect how NGOs engage with corporations →
case study............................................................................................................................60
3.2.2.3. Strategic choices and future challenges..................................................................61
3.2.3. Strategic choices............................................................................................................62
3.2.4. Conclusion......................................................................................................................63
Class 7: Populism and international order...........................................................................................64
4
, 1. Actua:...........................................................................................................................................64
2. Text 13: Zurn - The politicization of world politics and its effects: eight propositions.................65
2.1. Summary text........................................................................................................................65
2.1.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................65
2.1.2. Politicization as a concept..............................................................................................66
2.1.3. The politicization of international institutions...............................................................67
2.1.4. The effects on international institutions:.......................................................................68
2.1.4.1. Effects on politics in national democracies.............................................................69
2.1.4.2. At the international level........................................................................................69
2.1.5. Conclusion:.....................................................................................................................70
2.2. Discussion text in class..............................................................................................................70
3. Text 14: Yanik, Korkut, … - Contesting the corrupt elites, creating the pure people, and
renegotiating the hierarchies of the international order? Populism and foreign policy-making in
Turkey and Hungary.........................................................................................................................73
3.1. Discussion in class.................................................................................................................73
Class 8: Humanitarian governance......................................................................................................75
1. Text 15: Barnett - Evolution without progress? Humanitarianism in a world of hurt..................75
1.1. Bespreking van de tekst........................................................................................................75
1.2. Summary text........................................................................................................................77
1.2.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................77
1.3. Evolutionary theory...........................................................................................................78
1.3.1. EVOLVING HUMANITARIANISM.................................................................................79
1.3.2. HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS IN A WORLD OF HURT.........................................80
1.4. CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................80
2. Text 16: o’Hagan and Hirono - Fragmentation of the international humanitarian order?
understanding cultures of humanitarianism in east Asia.................................................................80
2.1. Discussion in class.................................................................................................................80
Class 9: Environmental governance.....................................................................................................81
1. Text 17: Young.............................................................................................................................81
2. Text 18: Allen...............................................................................................................................82
Class 10: The international politics of genocide...................................................................................83
1. Text 19: Dirk Mose - Diplomacy of genocide................................................................................83
1.1. Summary text........................................................................................................................83
1.2. Discussion in class.................................................................................................................84
2. Text 20: Peak - halting genocide in a post-liberal international order: intervention, institutions
and norms........................................................................................................................................85
2.1. Summary of the text.............................................................................................................85
5
, 2.1.1. Intro...............................................................................................................................85
2.1.2. From LIO to RIO..............................................................................................................86
2.1.3. Genocide prevention and the LIO..................................................................................86
2.1.4. How will genocide end in the RIO?................................................................................87
2.1.5. Conclusion......................................................................................................................87
2.2. Discussion of the text............................................................................................................87
Class 1: The crisis of the international order
Legenda
Questions to think about for the exam
Important concepts
Important added information from the seminaries
1. Exam information
EXAMPLE:
- Under which conditions do NGOs get to collaborate with business actors?
- And why do they want to do this?
- Is it advisable for NGOs to develop this kind of strategies?
6
,Questions about 1 text!! No main exam questions about different classes or texts and how
they are linked, but the follow up questions can be related to different topics!
- What explains the politicization of humanitarianism?
Important: causal links and arguments in the texts!
2. This course is about….
‘International organization’: the way in which the modern society of nations governs itself
On the distinction between ‘international organizations’ and ‘international organization’
- Formal institutions, with headquarters, staff and mandates
o Regional, global
o Comprehensive, Issue-specific
- “how the modern society of nations governs itself”
o By way of formal institutions
o More general (informal) rules and norms
‘The society of nations’:
- Share a physical space: they are competing for resources
- But this is not really what the course is about
- They also share a social sphere, more important for this course!!
- = An assumption (some scholars don’t consider there to be a society of
nations)
- The assumption is in the title of the course: IO
- They are not just sharing a social space, they are also aware of joint
problems and they commit more or less to managing those common
problems
- Questions:
- Which are those common problems?
- Issues like climate change?
- But mainly: coexistence
- How do they manage this?
- !! So, it’s important to remember that this is all based on assumptions, but we
won’t question the assumptions in the course but we’ll focus on the HOW:
how do they manage their common problems?
- ⇒ Does not govern itself through the establishment of formal institutions BUT also
through informal rules
- = Rules that haven’t been codified or institutionalized
3. MAIN FOCUS: crisis of the international order
7
,There is a widespread sentiment that there is a crisis of the international order today
Text 1 (3 worlds): Ikenberry says there is a crisis of the liberal international order
Critique on his argument:
- He is focusing on rules that shape the international order
- There are alternative perspectives: which ones?
- Anarchy is an alternative → looking at the international order in terms
of polarity and the capabilities of states in the absence of 1 political
authority
- The global south is becoming more powerful
- Volatile international environment
- This causes the crisis of the liberal international order
- Tradition based foreign policy volgens iemand in de les….→ maar dit
gaat eerder over hoe staten zich effectief opstellen en gedragen
gebaseerd op hun cultuur dan over DE ORDE zelf → doesn’t tell us
anything about the international order (dus geen goed antwoord)
- Focus on other actors → organisations have a life on their own
- Nog een alternatief volgens de prof, maar wel moeilijk te vatten: je hebt
principes zoals sovereignty, territorial integrity, sovereign equality….
⇒ those rules are rooted way deeper then the liberal rules that shape
the liberal international order
- Gaat dus niet over human rights etc
- Gaat echt over die basiswaarden die door iedereen erkend
worden in het internationaal recht
- ⇒ THE QUESTION IS: what international order are we actually talking about when
we say there is a crisis of the international order?
- ⇒ And a second question: what is crisis?
- Sounds very negative, but for some people this ‘crisis’ might be positive….
- China might call this ‘crisis’ emancipation: there is a fragmentation and
an evolution, but not necessarily a crisis from all perspectives!
So main conclusion: We should ask ourselves: “Is it justified to talk about a crisis of the
international order? And what are we exactly talking about?”
4. Theoretical approach of the course
Constructivist approach → Prof K seems to be a constructivist
- He recognizes the balance of power, polarity, capabilities etc BUT
- We should focus on the fact that this all takes place in a social space
→ International organizations matter if they facilitate cooperation BUT they are also important
because of other reasons
>< liberal approach: international organisations only matter if they facilitate cooperation
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,We analyse international organizations this way looking at power politics
- In NGOs etc
- In states
- In all types of contexts
But not only in the physical reality, also in the social reality!
5. Practical: what is this course like?
- Participation in negotiations: read the texts before the seminar and write down what is
unclear, what the tekst is about, what the most important arguments are and how you
can link this to anything you watched on the news/you read online this week!
- No slides
- Preparation fort he exam: study the main arguments of the texts, no details!
- The exam is oral: a bit like a discussion in class, he will ask questions and he’ll
keep talking and asking questions to know how far you can go
- You get some time to prepare the questions
- You also write a paper and participate in a round table discussion the paper should
be handed on the first day of the week of the round table discussion
6. Text 1: Ikenberry – Three worlds
In 2018, Ikenberry defined the liberal international order as…
…multilayered, multifaceted, and not simply a political formation imposed by the leading
state. International order is not “one thing” that states either join or resist. (see also p.5)
- It is an aggregation of various sorts of ordering rules and institutions.
- There are the deep rules and norms of sovereignty...
- There is a sprawling array of international institutions, regimes, treaties, agreements,
protocols, and so forth.
- These governing arrangements cut across diverse realms, including security and arms
control, the world economy, the environment and global commons, human rights, and
political relations.
- Some of these domains of governance may have rules and institutions that narrowly
reflect the interests of the hegemonic state, but most reflect negotiated outcomes
based on a much broader set of interests.
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, Class 2 : Sovereignty and international order
1. Text 3: Reus-Smith - The constitutional structure of international society and
the nature of fundamental institutions
1.1. Summary
Nowadays, collective action between states is facilitated by various issue-specific regimes.
Most of these institutions are specific applications of the deeper institutional practices that
structure modern international society, namely positive law and multilateralism.
Two key observations can immediately be made about these fundamental institutions. On the
one hand, they are "generic structural elements" in international societies, forming a kind of
constant in international relations and thus not dependent on changes in the balance of power
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