Contemporary International Relations and Organisations
Contemporary International Relations and Organisations
This domain examines global governance after 1945: the UN system, Bretton Woods institutions, regional organisations and new powers. The exam tests functions, membership rules and limits of these bodies.
Core rules and concepts
- The UN Charter gives the General Assembly one state-one vote recommendatory power; the Security Council has five permanent members with veto power and primary responsibility for peace and security.
- The ICJ settles disputes between states; the ICC is a separate treaty court for individuals. Do not merge them.
- The WTO, created in 1995, regulates trade rules; the IMF and World Bank are Bretton Woods institutions dealing with finance and development.
- Regional bodies include ASEAN 1967, SAARC 1985, the EU and the African Union. BRICS and the G20 reflect shifting economic weight.
- Contemporary issues include terrorism, climate change, pandemics, migration and cyber security, which often require cooperation beyond states.
Worked example
Why is the veto central to UN Security Council reform? Reasoning: reform proposals target both permanent membership and veto use. Adding members without changing the veto leaves power concentrated; abolishing the veto is resisted by the P5. Hence expansion and veto reform are linked but politically separate.
Traps that cost marks
- Do not call the WTO a UN specialised agency.
- The General Assembly cannot compel a state to use force.
- SAARC and ASEAN are not security alliances.
- Do not confuse the ICJ with the ICC.