Invisible governance : international secretariats in global politics / John Mathiason.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mathiason, John, 1942-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

International agencies.

International officials and employees.

Secretariats.

International relations.

Physical Description:

xiv, 295 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Bloomfield, CT : Kumarian Press, 2007.

Summary:

International public servants and their far-reaching secretariats receive little press attention when nation-states take the spotlight in significant international events, which is why author John Mathiason and others commonly refer to them as "invisible". But secretariats' activities are constantly shaping the course of history with inspectors determining whether uranium enrichment in Iran is for peaceful purposes, maintaining surveillance on a possible bird flu epidemic (the World Health Organization), raising alarms about starvation in Zimbabwe (the World Food Programme), or passing judgment on former heads of state and military officers in the Balkans (the International Criminal Tribunals).

Having served as a member of the United Nations Secretariat for 25 years, author John Mathiason offers a unique behind-the-scenes view, taking readers through the life and duties of an international public servant. With personal accounts and extensive knowledge of a variety of international organizations, Mathiason covers the implications of being an influential, but "invisible" entity. He shows the difficulties in documenting scope and accountability, the issues such as disarmament, human rights, and environmental protection that he encountered while serving at the secretariat and charts the history of these dynamic and expansive entities present in every crucial event of the past century.

Contents:

Why are secretariats invisible?

Evolution of the international public service (1919-2006)

What do secretariats do? does leadership matter?

Regime creation : human rights, the Internet, the environment, the seas, and drugs and thugs

How information is mobilized

Norm enforcement : human rights, weapons of mass destruction, war crimes, and trade disputes

Providing services for peace and security

Providing humanitarian relief : from Palestine to Darfur

Managing the international economy and social relations

How the international public sector manages itself

The accountability problem : Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

International secretariats in future world politics.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 263-269) and index.

ISBN:

9781565492202

156549220X

OCLC:

72353520