UNSA Dialogue 11 - 2008

Date

Thursday, November 6, at 6pm Central European Time / noon Eastern Time. The session is again supposed to last for an hour.

Topic

As was agreed during our first meeting on October 2, we will take a closer look at the question of what distinguishes a UN Studies concept from the concept of global governance.

Possible questions

  • How would you define the concept of global governance?
  • How does it relate to our UN Studies concept (in nascendi)? Is GG a key element of UN Studies (or vice versa)?
  • What are the main differences, commonalities?

-> Is the GG concept useful in our effort to refine our mission statement?

-> If so, how shall we integrate it in our UN Studies concept / connect both concepts?

Summary of discussion results

Records

For an audiovisual record of our online meeting please follow this link: http://cotelcocave.syr.edu/recordings.html?s=1225947600000&e=1226033999999

(you will have to download the Elluminate-software to watch the record; you also need headphones to follow the audio discussion)

Discussion points

  • first it was agreed that we should look at the concepts of global governance and the UN (rather than at "global governance" and "UN Studies")
  • Whereas the concept of global governance can be regarded as structure composed of various actors, the UN should be conceived as system comprising various actors (such as the primary UN organs or specialized agencies).
  • Tthe UN should considered an institution/organisation; --> you consequently need different approaches in addressing the UN, such as organization theory