The politics of international organizations : views from insiders / edited by Patrick Weller and Xu Yi-chong.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Weller, Patrick Moray, editor.

Xu, Yi-Chong, editor.

Series:

Global institutions series ; 101.

Global institutions series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

International agencies.

Financial institutions, International.

International cooperation.

International organization.

Physical Description:

xxi, 268 pages ; 22 cm.

Place of Publication:

London : Routledge, 2015.

Summary:

"International organisations (IOs) often receive a bad press, seen as intrusive, domineering and unresponsive to the needs of the people and countries they are meant to serve. They are also seen as sclerotic bureaucracies, unable to move fast or to solve the intractable problems of the countries that need their assistance. The best way to understand the operation of these international organisations is to bring together those who represent their countries at IOs and those who have been working at IOs at various capacities and then to listen to their experiences. The book will set the scene through a theoretical introduction to ask the questions, and then features chapters on each IO from experts, with comments and additional insights from experienced practitioners or observers, and a conclusion that explicitly draws out the comparative lessons and contrasts the insights of practitioners from those of external observers. It seeks to develop an alternative approach to the analysis of IOs that takes account of all those involved, whether state representatives, IO leaders and members of the secretariat. Providing a well informed, innovative and consistently structured analysis of IOs this work will be of interest to students and scholars of international relations, international organizations and global governance. "-- Provided by publisher.

"This book develops an alternative approach to the analysis of IOs that takes account of all those involved, whether state representatives, IO leaders and members of the secretariat"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction : understanding the governance of international organizations / Xu Yi-chong and Patrick Weller

The World Trade Organization as an institution / Stuart Harbison

Comment : weak organization, strong institution / John Ravenhill

Reform at the World Bank / Jim Adams

Comment 1: The World Bank / Chrik Poortman

Comment 2 : Reform at the World Bank : plus ça change? / Susan Park

Governance at work at the International Monetary Fund / Luc Hubloue and Orasa Vongthieres

Comment 1 : IMF governance and decision-making processes / Mike Callaghan

Comment 2 : The IMF's governance of economic policy knowledge / André Broome and Leonard Seabrooke

The World Intellectual Property Organization / Naresh Prasad

Comment 1 : The World Intellectual Property Organization / Geoffrey Yu

Comment 2 : The problems of over-representation and fragmented subject areas in reaching agreement at WIPO / Charles Lawson

Turbulence and reform at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization / David Hallam

Comment : The relevance, competence, and prospects of the Food and Agriculture Organization / Robin Davies

The World Health Organization : some views from inside / Patrick Weller and Xu Yi-chong

Comment : In reform we trust : the challenge before the World Health Organization / Sara E. Davies and Jeremy R. Youde

Afterthoughts / Patrick Weller and Xu Yi-Chong.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781138793132

1138793132

OCLC:

895500621