What has come to be called civil society, referring to institutions that are
not governmental, has always had a role to play in national political processes.
International organizations like the United Nations have recognized that non-governmental
organizations have a role in international affairs since their founding, but
it is only recently that they have begun to play a significant role in both
strongly influencing public policy and managing international operations. The
session will discuss this growing role and why organizations of civil society
may be more
effective at the international level than at the national.
Questions covered |
- What is civil society?
- Historical participation of non-governmental organizations in international
relations
- Limits and opportunities for trans-national civil society
- Issues in the governance of international civil society
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Lecture |
|
Required readings |
- Lindenberg and Bryant, Going Global, Chapters 1 and 2
- Global Policy Forum, "NGOs and the
United Nations"
- Kofi Annan, "The
Meaning of International Community" (Statement to the annual
UN/NGO Conference, September 15, 1999
- NO
TIME TO LOSE IN ENDING EXTREME POVERTY, PUTTING WORLD ON MORE JUST
PATH, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL, AS ANNUAL DPI/NGO CONFERENCE OPENS
(08/09/2004)
- ‘CLIMATE
CHANGE: HOW IT IMPACTS US ALL’ THEME, AS ANNUAL
DPI/NGO CONFERENCE OPENS (5 September 2007)
|
Recommended readings |
|
| Simulation |
- Meeting with the Director-General on specific objectives. Text of the
Specific Objective row of the Logical Framework Matrix for the Division
chosen (Inspections, Trade Monitoring, Research and Analysis, Public
Information, External Relations, Administration and Management) due
by close of business on Wednesday, September 16 (for Thursday evening),
Thursday morning, September 17 (for Friday morning ).
- For an example of how other organizations do this, see the
example from the IAEA
- The Agreed Text of
the BWVO General Objective (2010-2015) is "to have the verification system
up and running to the satisfaction of the States Parties"
|
Discussion questions |
- How does the emerging international sector make non-governmental organizations
more powerful and why do they provide added value?
- How is the management of NGO's different from that of international
public organizations?
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| Chats |
- Friday, September 18, 2008 (morning) (To join go to http://cotelcocave.syr.edu and
click on the meeting link on the day of the session.) The
Friday in-class session did not record due to a problem with the cotelcocave
server. A shorter session took place with the on-line students on Saturday,
19 September, and has been recorded and the recording can be seen by
going to that date on cotelcocave.
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