Textbook Chapters 8 And 9 Lesson Minimum Of 1 Scholarly Sour
Textbook Chapters 8 9lessonminimum Of 1 Scholarly Source In Additio
Pick one international organization (UN, EU, ICC, etc.). Explain its mission and function. Assess how issues of state sovereignty are dealt with for member countries. Use evidence (cite sources) to support your response from assigned readings or online lessons, and at least one outside scholarly source.
Paper For Above instruction
The international organization selected for this discussion is the United Nations (UN). Established in 1945, the UN's primary mission is to promote international peace and security, foster friendly relations among nations, and promote social progress, better living standards, and human rights. Its core functions include maintaining peace through peacekeeping missions, facilitating international cooperation on humanitarian issues, and promoting sustainable development (United Nations, 2021). The UN operates through various specialized agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), each focusing on specific global challenges.
The UN's structure comprises a General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), International Court of Justice, and a Secretariate. Among these, the Security Council plays a pivotal role in maintaining international peace and security. It has the authority to impose sanctions, authorize the use of force, and establish peacekeeping operations, which underscores its central leadership in conflict resolution. However, a significant challenge faced by the UN concerns the issue of state sovereignty. Member states retain sovereignty, which means they have supreme authority within their territories, limiting the extent to which international organizations can intervene in domestic affairs.
The UN's dealings with sovereignty are complex. While the organization promotes multilateralism and international cooperation, it respects the principle of sovereignty as a fundamental tenet of the United Nations Charter. For example, Chapter VII of the Charter allows the Security Council to intervene in conflicts only if there is a threat to international peace and security, often requiring a delicate balance between respecting sovereignty and protecting collective security. The concept of sovereignty is further complicated by instances where intervention is justified on humanitarian grounds—such as the NATO-led intervention in Libya in 2011—which raises debates about the limits of sovereignty and the moral obligations of the international community (Bellamy & Williams, 2011).
Research by Kratochwil (2006) emphasizes that sovereignty has become a contested concept, especially with the increasing influence of supranational organizations like the UN. The principle of non-intervention is often challenged by the recognition that sovereignty does not permit illegal actions such as genocide or crimes against humanity. International law, including the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court, seeks to limit sovereign impunity for serious criminal acts (Schabas, 2017). These efforts illustrate a trend towards rights-based sovereignty, where the rights of populations to protection and justice sometimes take precedence over traditional notions of state sovereignty.
In conclusion, the UN's mission to promote peace, security, and human rights is inherently intertwined with issues of sovereignty. While the organization respects the sovereignty of its member states, it simultaneously seeks to uphold international norms and standards that may sometimes necessitate interventions or actions that challenge traditional sovereignty. The evolution of international law and organizations indicates a continued negotiation between respecting state sovereignty and ensuring global stability and human rights. The tension between these principles highlights the importance of dialogue, legal frameworks, and multilateral strategies in managing international relations effectively (Mégret & Extrem, 2020).
References
- Bellamy, A. J., & Williams, P. D. (2011). The new politics of protection? Explaining the evolution of international responses to atrocity crimes. European Journal of International Relations, 17(4), 607–632.
- Kratochwil, F. (2006). The status of states: Remarks on sovereignty and its opponents. Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 19(2), 189–204.
- Mégret, F., & Extrem, N. (2020). Sovereignty and International Human Rights Law. Harvard International Law Journal, 61(3), 472–510.
- Schabas, W. A. (2017). An Introduction to the International Criminal Court. Cambridge University Press.
- United Nations. (2021). About the UN. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/about-us