Politics And Process At The United Nations (the Global Dance)

How does the United Nations actually work? How does it reconcile the diverse interests of 191 sovereign member states­plus those of the numerous NGOs with which it interacts, the diverse international Secretariat that services it, and the multinational corporations that lobby it-in the search for effective solutions to the myriad problems it confronts daily? Politics and Process at the United Nations answers these questions, providing a vivid picture of the dynamic interaction between actors and institutional structures. Drawing readers into the "global dance" that takes place at UN headquarters, Courtney Smith introduces the various members of the troupe and explains the procedures and processes that make up the movements of the dance. He also addresses an often neglected but essential issue do UN decisions really matter? The result is an unusual book, valuable both for scholars and for students in UN and 10 courses. About Author: Courtney Smith is associate professor and associate dean of academic affairs in the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University.