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International Public and NGO Management

6. Norm Enforcement

October 15 and 16, 2009

In one sense, norm enforcement is a higher level public sector activity for international organizations, similar to regulatory and law enforcement at the national level. At the international level, because the traditional compliance-inducing instruments are absent, the function takes on a different character. The session examines the process of norm enforcement by looking at four cases: the dispute regulation program of the World Trade Organization, the Human Rights machinery of the United Nations, the International Tribunal on Law of the Sea and the IAEA.

Questions covered
  • Role of legitimacy and shaming in international norm enforcement
  • Function of information in the enforcement process
  • Role played by non-governmental organizations in norm enforcement
  • Management issues in norm enforcement

Lecture

Required readings

Recommended readings
  • Jack Donnelly, "International Human Rights Regimes," International Organization, 40 (Summer 1986), pp. 599-642. Donnelly's article was written before the expansion of authority of the international public sector.
Simulation
  • Meeting with the Director-General on revised outcomes, performance indicators, outputs and activities due by close of business on Tuesday, October 13 for the Thursday section, Wednesday, October 14 for the Friday section .

Discussion questions
  • How can compliance with norm enforcement decisions be ensured? Give examples.
  • What are the instruments non-governmental organizations can use to encourage compliance?
  • What are the main issues for secretariats in managing norm enforcement?
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John R. Mathiason

© 2003, 2004, 2005 John R. Mathiason. All Rights Reserved.
Revised: October 10, 2009 .