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International Public and NGO Management

1. Management of the International Regime for the Verification of the Elimination of Weapons of Mass Destruction

August 28, 29, 2008

This first session of the seminar is a case study of how the issues of international management intersect with major issues of international relations. Since the beginning of the last century, the effort to control the development and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical and biological) through a system of international treaties. In this, most attention has been paid to the relationshps between the Nation-States involved, but, because the viability of the regime depends on the belief by all parties that the terms of the treaties are being followed, the verification of compliance is a central concern. This verification has been entrusted, by treaty, to international organizations, whose management will determine the success of the effort. The United States, in the context of both Iraq and the Biological Weapons Convention, seems to doubt the effectiveness of the verification regime. The regime therefore constitutes an excellent case of how management can determine significant outcomes. This session will be webcast on August 29 and archived for streaming video.

Questions covered

  • Why is the elimination of weapons of mass destruction important and what are the parameters of the problem?
  • What is the role of verification in the process?
  • What is the importance of the institutions set up to verify compliance?
  • What are the main management issues within those institutions?
  • What does this tell us about the role of management of international public institutions?

Lecture

Required readings

Recommended readings

Discussion questions

  • What does the Iraq War of 2003 and the Iranian nuclear enrichment program tell us about the role of international verification?
  • To what extent can WMD treaties be self-monitored?
  • What are the main management issues in international organizations undertaking verification?
  • What are the possible consequences of a management failure?

 

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John R. Mathiason

© 2003, 2004, 2005 John R. Mathiason. All Rights Reserved.
Revised: August 29, 2008 .