The United Nations and Changing World Politics - Softcover

Praise for Previous Editions: "Since its first edition in the mid-1990s, this book has been the standard text on the UN for courses in international organization. No other book can compete with its sophisticated analysis and up-to-date information." -Craig N. Murphy, Wellesley College "[The authors] focus on the most important questions of international governance-human security, human rights, and sustainable development-and provide students with a wealth of information enabling them to make their own informed conclusions about the UN system's contributions to answering them." -M. J. Peterson, University of Massachusetts, Amherst "Few stories are as complex, as misunderstood, or as urgent as that of the United Nations. No one tells it better than this dynamic author team. Already a classic, their text offers invaluable insights into how the world tries, fails, and tries again to govern itself." -Edward Luck, Columbia University "These civilized voices from the 'other America' have done it again! Taking as their principal themes peace and security, human rights and humanitarian issues, as well as sustainable human development, [the authors] guide us through the intricacies of politics at the UN in the form of an analytical narrative of global problems. This is not only for students and practitioners in the United States, but elsewhere, too, if we are to get an authentic and welcome voice of that 'other America.'" -A.J.R. Groom, University of Kent

This completely revised and updated seventh edition serves as the definitive text for courses in which the United Nations is either the focus or a central component. Built around three critical themes in international relations-peace and security, human rights, and humanitarian affairs-the seventh edition of The United Nations and Changing World Politics guides students through the complexity of politics and almost seven decades of UN activities. Students of all levels will learn what the UN is, how it operates, and what its relationships are with the universe of external actors and institutions, from sovereign states to the plethora of nongovernmental and intergovernmental organizations now playing important roles in world politics. This new edition is fully revised to take into account recent events, including the impact of the global financial crisis and recession on international politics, UN actibvities related to peacekeeping and natural disasters, the UN's actions in Libya and Syria and the Arab Spring, the tenure of Ban Ki-moon, Rio+20, and the Iranian nuclear issue.