International Institutions and Global Governance

📋 Course Outline

1. Definition of International Institutions
2. Types of International Organizations
3. Formal and Informal Cooperation
4. Diversity of Actors
5. Theories of IOs
6. UN System and Evolution
7. UN Main Organs and Functions
8. International Security Laws
9. Law of War and Justice
10. Humanitarian Intervention Norms

📖 1. Definition of International Institutions

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• International institutions are defined as "a set of rules, norms and decision-making procedures which influence actors’ expectations, interests and behaviors" (Goldstein). They encompass formal and informal arrangements that guide state and actor conduct in the international arena.

• Rules and norms within international institutions can be formal or informal:

  • International law (formal): "mutual will of the nations concerned," including treaties, conventions, judicial decisions, and general principles like non-intervention.
  • Soft law (informal): Legally non-binding obligations such as codes of conduct and environmental programs, which influence behavior without enforceability.

• International regimes are "sets of implicit or explicit principles, norms, rules and decision-making procedures around which actors’ expectations converge in a given area of international relations" (Kasner). They are specialized arrangements related to specific activities or resources.