State, Society and the UN System
Subtitle: Changing Perspectives on Multilateralism (Unu Studies on Multilateralism and the Un System)
Contributors: Society Perspectives on the United Nations System (Corporate Author); Keith Krause (Editor); W. Andy Knight (Editor)
Publisher: United Nations University Press
Published: December 1995
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 268
ISBN-13: 9789280808858
Subjects: United Nations & UN agencies; United Nations; Politics/International Relations; 1989-; Congresses; International relations; World politics
Description: As the United Nations celebrates its 50th anniversary in 1995, it is enjoying a revival of interest among scholars, statesmen, and the general public.

This development is closely related to changes in the basic parameters of the post-1945 world order, and the primary concern of this book is to examine, against this changing backdrop, multilateralism and the UN system from the perspective of what is called a "state/society complex," which refers to the forces operating within and across states.

In addition to its unique perspective, this volume differs from previous studies in focusing attention on seldom-studied states and their policies and practices in relation to the UN system and multilateralism.

The selected states fall into three distinct groupings: (1) two states (Germany and India) that are trying for a larger voice in the system; (2) two (Sweden and Romania) that have viewed the UN system as a means of projecting domestic aims onto a global stage; and (3) three - Chile, Jamaica, and Sierra Leone - that are greatly affected by the shifting currents in the multilateral sphere.

The case-study contributors describe the most important issues that have been promoted or supported since 1945 and how multilateral participation may have changed, especially in the latter half of the post-war period, and finally consider the impact of their state's policies on the future of multilateralism.