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As international organizations become ever more prominent in global politics it is increasingly urgent to understand their power, their limits, and their effects. Now in its fourth edition, this leading textbook provides the definitive introduction to modern international organizations, from the legal charters of their beginnings, to the issues they engage with in the contemporary world. In his analysis of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Criminal Court and ten other prominent global institutions, Hurd combines legal, empirical, and theoretical approaches in an accessible and cohesive package. Fully revised and updated, this latest edition includes topical cases and controversies involving international organizations, such as Brexit, trade wars, environmentalism, forced migration and border disputes. It will be of interest to undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in international organizations, international institutions, global governance, and international law.
List of contents
1. Introduction to international organizations; 2. Theory, methods, and international organizations; 3. The United Nations I: law and administration; 4. The United Nations II: international peace and security; 5. The World Trade Organization; 6. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank; 7. The International Labor Organization; 8. Refugees and international migration: UNHCR, the IOM, and the 1951 Convention; 9. The International Court of Justice; 10. The International Criminal Court; 11. The European Union and regional organizations; 12. Conclusion.
About the author
Ian Hurd is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Weinberg College Center for International and Area Studies at Northwestern University, Illinois. His other books include How to Do Things With International Law (2017) and After Anarchy: Legitimacy and Power in the UN Security Council (2007), which won the 2008 Chadwick F. Alger Prize, International Studies Association. He co-edited the Oxford Handbook of International Organizations (2017) and The UN Security Council and the Politics of International Authority (2008).
Summary
Now in its fourth edition, this is the definitive introduction to modern international organizations. Combining international law, politics, and case studies in an accessible package, this leading textbook presents the UN, WTO, ICC, and ten other institutions, explaining the legal treaties and exploring the political controversies for each.
Additional text
'Hurd's textbook seamlessly integrates the law and politics of international organizations. Combining theory with many real-world examples of different IOs in action, he offers an ideal introduction to the field for students in multiple disciplines. By viewing IOs as actors, fora, and resources, he demonstrates their multiple roles - and the challenges they face - in global affairs today.' Steven R. Ratner, Bruno Simma Collegiate Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School
Report
'Ian Hurd's International Organizations has established itself as one of the most accessible and insightful textbooks on this important topic. Offering a world tour of the UN, the WTO, and other key institutions, it dives deeply into the daily practice of those institutions with thoughtful and thought-provoking examinations of the interplay of law and politics.' Simon Chesterman, Dean and Professor, National University of Singapore Faculty of Law, and Editor of the Asian Journal of International Law
