[...] Clearly, the paper revolves around the normative concept of global governance. While
in scientific literature, the normative concept of global governance has become
unfashionable by the time and a rather critical analysis of the implication of
international regulation has taken precedence, it will be outlined that there is good
reason to investigate the connection between the UN and the normative concept. By no
means does this foreclose the importance of critical scrutiny of the establishing
governance architecture. The criticism of global governance as the perpetuation of
neoliberal hegemony and Western domination is acknowledged but will not be dealt
with from this point on. Surprisingly little effort been made so far to systematically link the concept of global
governance, be it normative or analytical, to the United Nations system although on a
gut level, scholars seem to agree that both are somehow linked. At the start of the
analysis, this paper sets out to present a first useful framework put forth by Brühl and
Rosert (Brühl/Rosert 2007) and adds a missing category to the analysis, the link
between the UN and the normative concept of global governance. In the normative
tradition, the developed framework inter alia proposes to consider the UN as a potential
activator for global governance as a normative concept. While the connection of global
governance and the UN as its activator offers room for gripping research, the ambition
of this paper is much downgraded. It only seeks to offer a starting point by investigating
whether the UN can actually advance global governance and tries to enable a first
cautious approach to the more general hypothesis above. To facilitate this analysis, in a first step a major problem of global governance is
selected. The fundamental lack of integration of non-state actors into governance
structures serves as a case in point for that matter. The legitimacy of global governance
suffers from this lack which in turn impedes reaping the desired benefits of the concept.
In a second step, the UN’s capacity to solve the depicted problem is analysed. [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Normative and analytical concepts of global governance
2.1 The United Nations and global governance
3. A framework of analysis
3.1 Operationalisation of the research question
4. The relevance of non-state actors in global governance
4.1 The problems of non-state actors in global governance
5. Can the UN help to solve the problem of input-legitimacy?
6. Conclusion
Objectives & Research Focus
This paper investigates the relationship between the United Nations and the normative concept of global governance. It seeks to determine whether the UN can serve as an active promoter of global governance by analyzing its capacity to mitigate legitimacy deficits through the integration of non-state actors into international decision-making processes.
- The role of the United Nations as an activator of global governance principles.
- Theoretical frameworks for analyzing the UN within global governance architecture.
- The legitimacy-enhancing potential and practical integration of non-state actors (NGOs, TNCs, civil society).
- A comparative analysis of UN conference models versus traditional economic institutional approaches.
- The tension between state-centric structures and the necessity of inclusive governance.
Excerpt from the Book
4. The relevance of non-state actors in global governance
A major challenge to the normative concept of global governance is the failure to integrate non-state actors which results in a lack of input-legitimacy in global governance. To understand the structure of this problem and finally the UN’s role in it, at first the potential of non-state actors to close existing legitimacy-gaps is dealt with. So what exactly is the merit of integrating non-state actors into international regulation? Why is their participation called for by proponents of the normative concept of global governance, and for that matter by any concept of global governance?
Promoting the concept of global governance in today’s world has little to do with convincing people(s) of the potential merits of a just and legitimate international order. Rather, one has to realise that there are a number of serious structural problems the normative idea of global governance faces which impede its implementation. At the moment, global norm-setting is perceived to be “apolitical, non-accountable, technocratic and driven by private interests” (Kazancigil 2007: 58). In addition, local constituencies and stakeholders have been increasingly detached from the international nexus of decision-making. “Many citizens criticize their limited opportunities to participate in, or at least to influence, public policy-making as insufficient.” (Rittberger 2008: 20) Most of all, global rule-setting does not seem to deliver for those in need but only for those already holding power and enjoying prosperity (Reibmayer 2007). In total, the legitimacy of global governance is severely undermined. All of these problems in some way or the other lead to the question of integration of non-state actors into global governance, which is one of the central challenges to the concept.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the normative concept of global governance and establishes the research question regarding the United Nations' potential to act as a central agent in this framework.
2. Normative and analytical concepts of global governance: Distinguishes between global governance as an analytical tool for observing international phenomena and as a normative vision for managing globalization.
2.1 The United Nations and global governance: Examines the theoretical and structural connections between the UN system and the broader aims of global governance.
3. A framework of analysis: Develops a methodological approach to analyze the UN by adding a normative dimension to existing analytical frameworks.
3.1 Operationalisation of the research question: Refines the research focus by identifying input-legitimacy as the primary variable to test the UN's capacity as an activator.
4. The relevance of non-state actors in global governance: Analyzes the crucial role of non-state actors in enhancing both the input and output legitimacy of international governance structures.
4.1 The problems of non-state actors in global governance: Critically evaluates the existing barriers to formal non-state actor participation in UN and economic institutional processes.
5. Can the UN help to solve the problem of input-legitimacy?: Evaluates the UN's historical performance, particularly during the 1990s conference era, in integrating non-state actors.
6. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, arguing that while structural reforms remain difficult, the UN's forum function offers a viable, albeit limited, path for advancing global governance.
Keywords
Global Governance, United Nations, Input-Legitimacy, Non-State Actors, Normative Concept, International Regulation, Civil Society, Multilateralism, Policy-Networks, Reform Process, Accountability, Democratization, Global Public Good, Governance Architecture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines whether the United Nations can function as an 'activator' of global governance by helping to implement its normative goals, such as social justice and legitimate international order.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed?
Key themes include the legitimacy of international organizations, the role of non-state actors like NGOs and TNCs, the limitations of state-centric diplomacy, and the tension between output efficiency and democratic input.
What is the central research question?
The author asks: "Can the UN advance global governance?" specifically through the lens of solving input-legitimacy problems by integrating non-state actors.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study uses a normative-analytical framework that synthesizes theories of global governance, selecting non-state actor participation as an independent variable to test the UN's capacity as a problem-solver.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers theoretical concepts, the development of a framework of analysis, a detailed critique of non-state actor integration, and an assessment of UN conferences as vehicles for inclusion.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Central terms include Global Governance, Input-Legitimacy, Non-State Actors, and the United Nations.
Why are UN conferences from the 1990s highlighted?
These conferences are identified as a successful, if imperfect, model where the UN utilized its capacity as a "forum organization" to successfully incorporate non-state actors into the input-legitimacy dimension.
Why does the author argue against focusing on structural reforms?
The author concludes that relying on grand structural reforms is often naive, as these are frequently blocked by powerful member states; instead, the author suggests working within the UN's existing forum-based strengths.
- Quote paper
- BA Simon Oerding (Author), 2008, Global Governance and the United Nations, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/124904
