Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
16544:IR18‐EE312 International Organizations (RA) § 16545:RUIR-3517 International Organizations(RA) § 16546:IR-EAS301 International Organizations (RA) 2024 Spring Tue5 College　Of　International　Relations KOBAYASHI KAZUSHIGE 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

MEIGAKUKAN　MG001

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

In this course, students will be introduced to the study of international organizations (IOs). The course is designed to expose students to a wide variety of conceptual, theoretical, and methodological perspectives on the role of IOs in multilateral governance. How do IOs facilitate international cooperation? How do IOs influence the evolution of norms in global politics? How does the struggle for power and legitimacy (re)shape the overall landscape of IOs? By engaging with these topics, students will broaden their perspectives and learn to analyze the global politics of IOs from contending viewpoints. This course also entails discussion-based sessions where students will apply the knowledge acquired in this course to analyze emerging policy challenges, such as pandemics, internet governance, and connectivity.

The course will be tailored to the needs of students aspiring to pursue global careers. To this end, it will feature (a) case-based learning methods; (b) practice-oriented assignments, such as an IO analysis paper; and, (c) active learning exercises, including discussion and group work. I very much look forward to sharing some of what I have learned in my own research as we journey together through this course.

Student Attainment Objectives

This course is not just about acquiring factual knowledge about IOs; it is also designed to be a transformative learning experience where you can develop and practice higher-order thinking skills that will help you build a meaningful intellectual life beyond university. To this end, this course entails the following five concrete learning outcomes. By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1) describe basic concepts and theoretical frameworks relevant to the analysis of IOs in their own words;
2) identify reliable sources of information in the study of multilateral governance (e.g. journals, datasets, and commentaries);
3) discuss the functions, effects, and limitations of IOs with a critical mindset;
4) evaluate the robustness of theoretical argumentation and distinguish theoretically-informed arguments from arbitrary speculation; and,
5) produce an insightful IO analysis that is sensitive to multiple viewpoints and contending theoretical perspectives.

Recommended Preparatory Course

This is an advanced undergraduate course designed for students who have already acquired basic knowledge of International Relations (IR) theory. It is desirable that students intending to register for this course have taken relevant introductory courses, such as Introduction to the United Nations.

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
Session 1

Course Guidance: Why Study IOs?

Overview of the course and course requirements

◼ Required Readings/Videos
N/A


This course will progress through four stages. After initial course guidance (Session 1) and the introductory session (Session 2), we will begin by reviewing rationalist approaches to IOs, focusing on how IOs facilitate international cooperation (Sessions 3-5). Second, we will learn about the social and normative roles of IOs in multilateral governance (Sessions 6-8). Third, we will examine the power-political dimensions of IOs (Sessions 9-11). Finally, students will apply the knowledge acquired in this course to analyze emerging policy issues (Sessions 12-14). In the final session (Session 15), we will critically reflect upon our learning journey together in this course.

In order to develop and practice the higher-order thinking skills described above, course sessions are organized in an interactive manner that integrates class discussion, group work, scenario analysis, and other active learning exercises in the classroom. Students are expected to complete reading/video assignments every week and to familiarize themselves with the concepts introduced by these assignments. Students interested in advanced materials are encouraged to consult the supplementary references provided below (see also the Reference Books listed below).

Session 2

What Are IOs?

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Rittberger, V., Zangl, B., Kruck, A., & Dijkstra, H. (2019). International Organization. 3rd Edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, Chapter 1.
• Duque, G. (2018). Why we need global institutions. TEDxKyoto, 12 December 2018.

◼ Supplementary Readings
 Ruggie, J. G. (1992). Multilateralism: The anatomy of an institution. International Organization 46(3): 561-598.
 Martin, L. L. (1992). Interests, power, and multilateralism. International Organization 46(4): 765-792.

Session 3

Rationalist Perspectives (I): Institutionalizing International Cooperation

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Abbott, K. W., & Snidal, D. (1998). Why states act through formal international organizations. Journal of Conflict Resolution 42(1): 3-32.
• Sachs, J. (2020). Global institutions: What purpose in the modern world?. Athens Democracy Forum, 2 October 2020.

◼ Supplementary Readings
 Barnett, M. N., & Finnemore, M. (1999). The politics, power, and pathologies of international organizations. International Organization 53(4): 699-732.
 Keohane, R. O., & Martin, L. L. (1995). The promise of institutionalist theory. International Security 20(1): 39-51.

Session 4

Rationalist Perspectives (II): Promoting Climate Action

◆ Case Study of the Week: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Patrick, S. (2021). The international order isn’t ready for the climate crisis: The case for a new planetary politics. Foreign Affairs 100(6): 166-176.
• Keohane, R. O., & Victor, D. G. (2011). The regime complex for climate change. Perspectives on Politics 9(1): 7-23.
• Kurzgesagt. (2020). Who is responsible for climate change? – Who needs to fix it?. Kurzgesagt, 21 June 2022.


◼ Supplementary Readings
 Oberthür, S. (2016). Reflections on global climate politics post Paris: Power, interests and polycentricity. The International Spectator 51(4): 80-94.
 Council on Foreign Relations. (2022). Timeline: UN Climate Talks. Council on Foreign Relations.

Session 5

Rationalist Perspectives (III): Defending Human Rights

◆ Case Study of the Week: UN Human Rights Council (HRC)

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• McMahon, E., & Ascherio, M. (2012). A step ahead in promoting human rights? The universal periodic review of the UN Human Rights Council. Global Governance 18(2): 231-248.
• Roth, K. (2017). How not to fix the U.N. Human Rights Council. Foreign Policy, 1 December 2017.
• Patrick, S. (2012). The UN Human Rights Council: Five things to know. CFR, 29 February 2012.

◼ Supplementary Readings
 Terlingen, Y. (2007). The Human Rights Council: A new era in UN human rights work?. Ethics & International Affairs 21(2): 167-178.
 Sikkink, K. (2014). Latin American countries as norm protagonists of the idea of international human rights. Global Governance 20: 389-404.

Session 6

Social Perspectives (I): Constructing International Norms

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Finnemore, M. (1993). International organizations as teachers of norms: The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization and science policy. International Organization 47(4): 565-597.
• Krisch, N. (2020). Shaping the global norms of tomorrow. The Graduate Institute Geneva, 27 March 2020.

◼ Supplementary Readings
 Claude, I. L. (1966). Collective legitimization as a political function of the United Nations. International Organization 20(3): 367-379.
 Reus-Smit, C. (1997). The constitutional structure of international society and the nature of fundamental institutions. International Organization 51(4): 555-589.

Session 7

Social Perspectives (II): Advancing Supranational Integration

◆ Case Study of the Week: European Union (EU)

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Checkel, J. T. (1997). International norms and domestic politics: Bridging the rationalist-constructivist divide. European Journal of International Relations 3(4): 473-495.
• Manners, I. (2002). Normative power Europe: a contradiction in terms?. Journal of Common Market Studies 40(2): 235-258.
• CFR. (2014). European integration explained. CFR World 101, 14 November 2016.

◼ Supplementary Readings
 Moravcsik, A. (1997). Taking preferences seriously: A liberal theory of international politics. International Organization 51(4): 513-553.
 Kobayashi, K. (2021). Is normative power cosmopolitan? Rethinking European unity, norm diffusion, and international political theory. Cooperation and Conflict 56(2): 181-203.

Session 8

Social Perspectives (III): Enhancing Sovereign Autonomy

◆Case Study of the Week: Association of Southeast Asian States (ASEAN)

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Acharya, A. (2007). ASEAN at 40: Mid-life rejuvenation?. Foreign Affairs, 15 August 2007.
• Yukawa, T. (2018). The ASEAN Way as a symbol: An analysis of discourses on the ASEAN Norms. The Pacific Review 31(3): 298-314.
• Deutsche Welle. (2022). ASEAN summit: What are the key takeaways?. Deutsche Welle, 14 November 2022.

◼ Supplementary Readings
 Acharya, A. (1997). Ideas, identity, and institution-building: From the “ASEAN way” to the “Asia-Pacific way”?. The Pacific Review 10(3): 319-346.
 Davies, M. (2013). ASEAN and human rights norms: Constructivism, rational choice, and the action-identity gap. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 13(2): 207-231.

Session 9

Political Perspectives (I): Legitimizing Hegemonic Orders

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Ikenberry, G. J., & Kupchan, C. A. (1990). Socialization and hegemonic power. International Organization 44(3): 283-315.
• Colgan, J. D., & Keohane, R. O. (2017). The liberal order is rigged: Fix it now or watch it wither. Foreign Affairs 96(3): 36-44.
• CFR. (2020). What is the liberal world order?. CFR World101, 26 October 2020.


◼ Supplementary Readings
 Finnemore, M. (2009). Legitimacy, hypocrisy, and the social structure of unipolarity: Why being a unipole isn’t all it's cracked up to be. World Politics 61(1): 58-85.
 Parízek, M. (2017). Control, soft information, and the politics of international organizations staffing. Review of International Organizations 12(4): 559-583.

Session 10

Political Perspectives (II): Stabilizing Global Economy

◆ Case Study of the Week: World Bank (IBRD)

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Ruggie, J. G. (1982). International regimes, transactions, and change: Embedded liberalism in the postwar economic order. International Organization 36(2): 379-415.
• Wade, R. H. (2002). US hegemony and the World Bank: The fight over people and ideas. Review of International Political Economy 9(2): 215-243.
• Kim, J. Y. (2018). Doesn’t everyone deserve a chance at a good life?. TED, 19 July 2019.


◼ Supplementary Readings
 Wade, R. (1996). Japan, the World Bank, and the art of paradigm maintenance: The East Asian miracle in political perspective. New Left Review (1996): 3-37.
 Puchala, D. J. (2005). World hegemony and the United Nations. International Studies Review 7(4): 571-584.

Session 11

Political Perspectives (III): Pursuing International Justice

◆ Case Study of the Week: International Criminal Court (ICC)

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• TRT. (2020). What is the ICC and is it fair?. TRT World, 29 September 2020.
• Tiemessen, A. (2014). The International Criminal Court and the politics of prosecutions. The International Journal of Human Rights 18(4-5): 444-461.
• Zvobgo, K. (2021). The ICC’s flawed Afghan investigation. Foreign Affairs, 3 November 2021.

◼ Supplementary Readings
 Mearsheimer, J. J. (1994). The false promise of international institutions. International Security 19(3): 5-49.
 García Iommi, L. (2020). Whose justice? The ICC “Africa problem”. International Relations 34(1): 105-129.

Session 12

IO Analysis Practice (I): Pandemics and Global Health

◆ Case Study of the Week: World Health Organization (WHO)

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Ingram, A. (2005). The new geopolitics of disease: Between global health and global security. Geopolitics 10(3): 522-545.
• Stewart, P. (2020). When the system fails: COVID-19 and the costs of global dysfunction. Foreign Affairs 99(4): 40-50.
• CSIS. (2020). Podcast - Examining China’s influence in the World Health Organization: A conversation with Jeremy Youde. CSIS China Power Podcasts.

◼ Supplementary Readings
 Brown, T. M., Cueto, M., & Fee, E. (2006). The World Health Organization and the transition from “international” to “global” public health. American Journal of Public Health 96(1): 62-72.
 Bahr, T., Holzscheiter, A., & Pantzerhielm, L. (2021). Understanding regime complexes through a practice lens: Repertoires of interorganizational practices in global health. Global Governance 27(1): 71-94.

Session 13

IO Analysis Practice (II): Technology and Internet Governance

◆ Case Study of the Week: International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Mondini, C. (2016). Is the US giving up control of the internet?. TEDxMidAtlantic, 18 January 2016.
• Cordell, K. (2020). The International Telecommunication Union: The most important UN agency you have never heard of. CSIS Commentary, 14 December 2020.
• Farrell, H., & Newman, A. L. (2021). The Janus face of the liberal international information order: When global institutions are self-undermining. International Organization 75(2): 333-358.


◼ Supplementary Readings
 Mueller, M., Mathiason, J., & Klein, H. (2007). The Internet and global governance: Principles and norms for a new regime. Global Governance 13: 237-254.
 Slaughter, M., and McCormick, D. (2021). Data is power: Washington needs to craft new rules for the digital age. Foreign Affairs 100(3): 54-62.

Session 14

IO Analysis Practice (III): Infrastructure and Global Connectivity

◆ Case Study of the Week: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

◼ Required Readings/Videos
• Stephen, M. D., & Skidmore, D. (2019). The AIIB in the liberal international order. Chinese Journal of International Politics 12(1): 61-91.
• Ikenberry, J., & Lim, D. (2017). China’s emerging institutional statecraft: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the prospects for counter-hegemony. Washington DC: Brookings Institution, Accessible at this link.
• Bloomberg. (2020). AIIB works in spirit of multilateralism, president. Bloomberg, 29 July 2020, Accessible at this link.


◼ Supplementary Readings
 Kaya, A., & Woo, B. (2021). China and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): Chinese Influence over membership shares?. Review of International Organizations 17(4): 781-813.
 Chan, S. (2021). Challenging the liberal order: The US hegemon as a revisionist power. International Affairs 97(5): 1335-1352.

Session 15

Final Discussion Session

Recap and final discussion activities

◼ Required Readings/Videos
N/A

Class Format

All course sessions are to be conducted in person.

Recommendations for Private Study

Each week, students are expected to read/watch weekly assignments before the class and also review the learning materials from the previous session(s). The expected amount of weekly preparatory/review study time for this course is around 4 hours.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written) 0

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)		 0

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)		 100

• Active Participation: 20%
• Weekly Writing Assignments (Digital Minute-Papers, 100-150 words per week): 40%
• Final Reflection Paper (around 1,200 words, due one week after Session 15): 40%

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

■ Active Participation (20%)
In this course, each session entails class discussion and other practical exercises designed to enhance your learning experiences. In this context, “active participation” means continuously and constructively engaging in class activities as a proactive learner. All of us in the class – you, me, and your peers – share the responsibility of fostering an enabling environment where we can engage in constructive mutual learning. Everyone is expected to actively participate, so that we can all benefit from the insights and experiences each person brings to our class.


■ Weekly Writing Assignments - DMP: Digital Minute-Papers (40%)
Pedagogical research demonstrates that a habit of constant self-reflection promotes effective learning. For this purpose, I ask you to submit a digital minute-paper (DMP) after each session (except Sessions 1 and 15), in which you will critically reflect upon your learning experience in 100-150 words. Your DMP should address the following questions:
• What was the most interesting thing you learned in this session?
• What was the most difficult thing to understand in this session?
• Do you have any questions about the material?
You should spend no more than 10-15 minutes writing a DMP. I will provide timely feedback on the questions and/or concerns raised in your DMP. This practice of constant feedback is meant to enhance your learning experience and to support your growth as an active learner.

You are asked to submit a DMP within 24 hours after the end of each weekly session, though I strongly encourage you to submit your DMP immediately after each session. Your DMPs must be submitted via manaba+R, which automatically registers the time of submission. Your DMPs will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
(a) Relevance: DMP content is relevant to the materials covered in the session.
(b) Volume: DMP has a length between 100-150 words.
(c) Timeliness: DMP is submitted within 24 hours after the end of the session.

Each DMP submission counts as 3% of your overall grade, except for the submission after Session 2, which exceptionally counts as 4% of your overall grade. You are not required to submit a DMP after Sessions 1 (course guidance) and 15 (final session). This means that we will have 13 substantive weekly sessions in total (Sessions 2-14); if you are present at all of these sessions and successfully submit DMPs after each of them, then the cumulative gain will be 40% of your final grade. Incomplete submissions (e.g. late submissions, DMPs that are shorter than 150 words, etc.) will result in deduction of grade gains.


■ Final Reflection Paper (40%)
The purpose of this final assignment is to help you critically reflect upon your learning experiences in this course (e.g. what was the most important takeaway from this course, how you contributed to class/group discussions, and how the things you learned in this course can be applied to make sense of the world around us, and so on). More detailed information on reflection questions, format, and writing tips will be provided separately at Session 1.
Your final reflection paper must be submitted via manaba+R, which automatically registers the time of submission. Late submission will be penalized, unless you have been granted a formal extension for justified reasons.



Though I ask you to actively participate in all sessions, there could be forces beyond your control that might prevent you from being present in class, including sudden illness. In such cases, please consult me via email as soon as possible and we will find a fair way to accommodate you.

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

There is no assigned textbook for this course, but students are required to read/watch the weekly readings and videos listed above. All learning materials will be made available on manaba+R (many of them are also directly accessible via the links provided above).

Reference Books

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
International Organization, 3rd Edition Volker Rittberger, Bernhard Zangl, Andreas Kruck, and Hylke Dijkstra Palgrave Macmillan 978-1137610041
International Organizations: Perspectives on Global Governance, 6th Edition Kelly-Kate Pease Routledge 978-0815380467
International Organizations in World Politics, 1st Edition Tamar Gutner CQ Press 978-1568029245
International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance, 3rd Edition Margaret Karns, Karen Mingst, and Kendall Stiles Lynne Rienner Publishers 978-1626371514
Governance without Government James Rosenau (ed) Cambridge University Press 978-0511521775
International Organizations: Politics, Law, Practice, 4th Edition Ian Hurd Cambridge University Press 978-0511521775
The Politics of Global Governance: International Organizations in An Interdependent World, 5th Edition Brian Frederking and Paul F. Diehl (eds) Lynne Rienner Publishers 978-1626372320
The United Nations and Changing World Politics, 8th Edition Thomas Weiss, David Forsythe, Roger Coate, and Kelly-Kate Pease Westview Presa 978-0813349787
The Oxford Handbook of International Organizations Jacob Katz Cogan, Ian Hurd, and Ian Johnstone (eds) Oxford University Press 978-0199672202
Routledge Handbook of International Organization Bob Reinalda (ed) Routledge 978-0415501439
Multilateralism Matters: The Theory and Praxis of An International Forum John Ruggie Columbia University Press 978-0231079808
After Victory: Institutions, Strategic Restraint, and the Rebuilding of Order after Major Wars G. John Ikenberry Princeton University Press 978-0691169217
The World in Depression Charles Kindleberger University of California Press 978-0520275850
War and Change in World Politics Robert Gilpin Cambridge University Press 978-0521273763
International Regimes Stephen Krasner (ed) Cornell University Press 978-0801415500
The Evolution of Cooperation Robert Axelrod Basic Books 978-0465005642
After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political Economy Robert Keohane Princeton University Press 978-0691122489
Cooperation Under Anarchy Kenneth Oye Princeton University Press 978-0691186702
The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World politics Hedley Bull Columbia University Press 978-0231161282
On Global Order: Power, Values, and the Constitution of International Society Andrew Hurrell Oxford University Press 978-0199233106
Delegation and Agency in International Organizations Darren Hawkins, David A. Lake, Daniel Nielson, and Michael Tierney (eds) Cambridge University Press 978-0521680462
The Emergence of Private Authority in Global Governance Rodney Hall and Thomas Biersteker (eds) Cambridge University Press 978-0511491238
Rules for the World: International Organizations in Global Politics Michael Barnett and Martha Finnemore Cornell University Press 978-0801488238
Power and interdependence, 4th Edition Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye Longman 978-0205082919

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Students are encouraged to consult the above-listed books for self-study purposes.

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Communication Paper,Learning Management System （manaba+R）,Talk with Students,Other (Separate instructions will be provided)

Other Comments

Please make sure to regularly check the course page on manaba+R for announcements and notifications. I am here to support your success in this course and beyond. If you have any concerns or questions, I encourage you to contact me as early as possible. I prefer to be contacted by e-mail. I usually respond to e-mails within 48 hours, excluding holidays and weekends.

Feel free to stop by my office during open office hours (to be announced at Session 1). We can alternatively arrange for virtual office hours via Zoom. Beyond these designated office hours, I will also be available for you by appointment.


It is certainly important for you to grow into independent learners able to take ownership of your own learning journeys – but it is equally important for us to learn how to learn with others, especially in our era of interconnectedness where effective solutions to daunting global challenges (including the pandemic) require multilateral collaboration. Through class discussion and other team-based exercises, we will learn how to engage in the collective knowledge-building that is foundational to future global cooperation.

Between 2012 and 2022, I lived in Geneva and I have been actively involved in the delivery of executive education programs for UN officials (e.g. action learning courses for peacebuilding and humanitarian professionals), as well as in policy consulting projects for various government agencies and international organizations. My teaching approach is informed by my continuous engagement with these professionals and I look forward to sharing my practical insights with you throughout this course.
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URL:http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp//students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html