Synopses & Reviews
Fifty years after the establishment of the United Nations, inter-governmental organisations 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 organisations, 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. White examines how if at all organisations co-ordinate their activities, and explains the relative merits of a universal approach as opposed to a regional or functional approach to international organisation. The book also contains an account of the powers and practice of organisations in three concrete and crucial areas - security, human rights, and the environment.
Table of Contents
ForewordPrefaceAbbreviations1. Theories of international organisation 2. The legal personality of international organisations 3. Composition and structure of international organisations 4. The decision making capacity of international organisations 5. Powers and the legal regulation of international organisations 6. Universalism, regionalism and decentralisation 7. Collective security and the United Nations 8. Regionalism and collective security 9. The promotion and protection of human rights 10. Environmental matters