| International Organizations |
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POLS A301
International Organizations
| Introduction |  |
This is a one-year, ten-credit, higher level course offered by the School of Arts and Social Sciences. It is designed for students with a general interest in world affairs and a specific interest in how international organizations work in the contemporary world. For those of you who have little prior knowledge of international relations, this course can serve as a starting point, leading to a wider field of international studies. However, for those who have had some exposure to the study of international relations, this course can serve as an advanced course in international relations, concentrating on the workings of a specific set of international actors or entities; here, international organizations.
International organization represents an important area of human activities at the global and regional levels. There are many types of international organization performing different tasks and functions. Some organize around specific goals or within a geographically defined area. With the intensification of human interactions of various kinds, and the increasing speed and ease in which international communications of various kinds take place, these organizations have become prominent vehicles through which to further human advancement. The end of the Cold War and the relative decline of the powers of the state mean that international organizations are increasingly playing a significant role in world affairs: in resolving international conflicts, in promoting human welfare and prosperity, and in shaping a future world.
This course has ten units, each focusing on a specific topic and lasting for a period of study of four weeks. The ten units fall into three parts. Part I (Units 1 to 4) deals with the theoretical study of international organization. Part II (Units 5 to 7) concentrates on an empirical analysis of some key international organizations. And Part III (Units 8 to 10) concerns policy issues, current research, and the future of international organization. Five assignments are evenly distributed over the duration of the course, with a written exam at the end. Activities are designed to stimulate interest and curiosity in acquiring knowledge in this field of study. Tutorial help is available to provide guidance and to assist you along the way.
| What this course helps you do | |
Aims of this course
This course takes international organizations as a specific group of actors in world affairs. It traces the origins and development of these organizations, delineates their scope and classifications, and evaluates their roles and functions. The course discusses the different ways of approaching the study of international organization and assesses the impact of these organizations on inter-state relationships. Major organizations covered in the course include the United Nations (UN), the World Bank (WB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the European Union (EU), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. These represent some of the most important and active organizations at the global and regional levels. Some are in Asia and some are outside of Asia.
Course learning outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
Analyse the origins, growth and development of international organizations.
Explain the roles and functions of international organizations.
Evaluate the different approaches to the study of international organization and theories of international organizations.
Discuss the workings of some major international organizations and evaluate their effectiveness.
Analyse the impact of the rise of international organizations on the relations among states.
Examine the participation of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in international organizations, and assess the political problems involved.
Evaluate some of the latest research on international organization, including international regimes.
| About the course | |
The best way to work through this course is to study systematically and persistently. Those of you who have an interest in world affairs will find this subject fascinating, as there has been a phenomenal growth of international organizations of various kinds since the end of the Second World War and again most recently since the end of the Cold War. The accompanying explosive growth of information about the myriad of global problems and the organizations trying to tackle these problems is significant. With the help of information technology, we are able to get access to some of this information through the Internet. The United Nations University in Tokyo, a research institution in support of the activities of the United Nations and other international organizations, has valuable sources of information about the various programmes and policies relating to the subject matter of this course. Its website is www.unu.edu/.
You may also find it useful to work in small groups, sharing information and exchanging ideas about your studies with other members.
Course overview
The following chart gives a general overview of the course structure.
Unit Title Weeks Assessment activity
(end of unit)1 Definitions and history 3 Assignment 1 2 Classification of international organizations 3 3 Approaches to the study of international organization 4 Assignment 2 4 Roles and functions of international organizations 4 5 Global organizations: UN, WB, IMF, WTO 4 Assignment 3 6 Regional organizations I: European Union, NATO 4 7 Regional organizations II: ASEAN, APEC 4 Assignment 4 8 The impact of the rise of international organizations on inter-state relationships 3 9 China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and international organizations 4 Assignment 5 10 Current research on international organization 3 TOTAL 36
| Course materials | |
Set textbook
There is one compulsory textbook required for POLS A301: Archer, C (2015) International Organizations, 4th edn, London and New York: Routledge.
Readings
You may be instructed in the study units to read articles or other supplementary materials. These will be available online or provided as hard copies at the backs of the study units.
E-Library E-Reserve readings
You may be instructed to read articles in the E-Library E-Reserve. To read these items, go to the OUHK E-Library and click on 'E-Reserve'. Log in, click 'Accept/Agree' on the Copyright Restrictions page, fill in the 'Course Code' box, and click 'Search'.
Non-print media
Access to the Internet enables you to make an up-to-date and comprehensive survey of the field of international organization, to understand the workings of some major international organizations, and to assist you in preparing your written assignments. You are therefore strongly advised to have a personal computer, although the OUHK provides some computing facilities. If you do not have access to a personal computer, then the single most comprehensive source of information on international organizations in printed book form for your reference is the Yearbook of International Organizations.
You will find the following Websites useful for this course:
United Nations www.un.org/
United Nations University www.unu.edu/
World Bank www.worldbank.org/
International Monetary Fund www.imf.org/
World Trade Organization www.wto.org/
European Union https://europa.eu/european-union/index_en
North Atlantic Treaty Organization www.nato.int/
Association of Southeast Asian Nations www.asean.org/
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation www.apec.org/
| Assessment | |
The five assignments in this course each deal with some important aspects of the international organization system. We have tried to introduce different types of assignment that will encourage the development of different study skills. See the Assignment File for details.
Out of these five assignments, the best four, according to number of marks scored, will count towards your final course marks. Each of the four assignments will make up 12.5% of the course marks, for a total of 50% for the four assignments.
Assignments
Assignment 1 aims to introduce you to the study of international organization. Assignment 2 serves to test your ability to evaluate the approaches and theories in international organization. Assignments 3 and 4 test your ability to make use of source materials to study a key global and regional organization, and to assess their mandates and efficacy. Assignment 5 allows you to analyse Greater China's participation in international organizations, with a view to discussing the relevant problems and possible solutions to these problems.
Final examination and grading
The final, written examination tests your understanding of the materials and topics covered in the course. The exam accounts for 50% of your overall course marks.
This table shows how the actual marking is broken down.
Assessment Percentage of marks Assignments 1-5 best 4 of 5 @ 12.5% each = 50% of course marks Final examination 50% of overall course marks Total 100% of course marks To be assured of achieving a PASS result, you must pass in BOTH the continuous assessment (assignments) and the examination. For details, please see your Student Handbook.
| Tutors and tutorials | |
Twelve tutorials are arranged. The tutorials aim to help and guide you through the course. Specifically, Tutorial 12 serves as an overall revision of the course, with special attention to discussions on policy issues and the preparation for the written exam.
During tutorials, assistance will be extended to you to prepare for or review your written assignments.
In order to get the maximum benefit out of this course, it is important that you attend and participate actively in as many tutorials as possible. In so doing you can chart the progress of your study and stimulate your interest in the course as well as the interest of others.
You should take full advantage of the help offered to you by your tutor. Don't hesitate to telephone him or her if you need any assistance.
Supplementary lecture
Two sessions are scheduled in which selected topics relating to the study units will be examined in detail.
Conclusion
In order to complete this course successfully, you need to work systematically and persistently. Above all, perseverance is the key to success. The world of international organizations is out there for you to explore, so enjoy yourself and good luck.
| A note about the developer of this course | |
Gerald Chan is Professor of Political Studies and Head of Department, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Prior to this, he was senior lecturer in International Relations, School of Political Science and International Relations, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He is on the advisory/editorial board of Political Science, New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies, Global Society, and AntePodium. His publications include China's Compliance in Global Affairs (2006), China's International Relations in the 21st Century (co-edited with Weixing Hu and Daojiong Zha, 2000), Chinese Perspectives on International Relations (1999), International Studies in China (1998), China and International Organizations (1989), a special issue of Political Science entitled 'Political Studies in East Asia' (July 1997), several book chapters on Chinese politics, and articles in Asian Review, The China Journal, The China Quarterly, Issues & Studies, Japanese Studies, Journal of Contemporary China, Pacific Affairs, Pacific Review, Peace Review, and International Relations of the Asia-Pacific. He was an exchange scholar in the Department of International Politics at Beijing University, a visiting fellow to the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, senior fellow in the Centre of International Studies, University of Cambridge, and a visiting professor in the Department of Government and Public Administration at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
