Using International Organizations to Stabilize the Region
May 29th, 2008 by Sarah
Kenneth Weisbrode of the Washington Times calls for the use of a robust multinational coalition such as NATO, to help stabilize the Middle East. According to Weisbrode, this will be a more effective tool to dissuade hostile parties from seeking nuclear weapons capabilities by stabilizing the region.
Mark Mazower in the Financial Times commented that in light of what he sees as the end of the “American Century,” the only way to effectively promote democracy and human rights is by working within a United Nations framework. Mazower suggests reforming the U.N. to accommodate its increased membership, and scaling down unilateral efforts of the U.S.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Multilateralism, United Nations |
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June 22nd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
It is blogs such as yours that help to fine tune the engines of democracy. The government is nothing more than an instrument of the people. But this only works if the people make their preferences known. Constructive Sovereignty is an emerging theory pioneered by John Maszka intended to address globalization’s increasing onslaught against state sovereignty. The theory maintains that states are not the primary actors, their constituents are. Therefore, their preferences are not fixed. Since states merely represent the preferences of their constituents, they will only adhere to and ultimately embed those international norms their constituency will accept. Rather than push for larger and more powerful international organizations that will impose global norms from the outside in, the theory of Constructive Sovereignty posits that ultimately change must come from the inside out. That is to say, from each state’s own constituency. As each state’s constituents become more and more international, they will become more receptive to international norms. In this way, international norms are embedded and viewed with legitimacy while each state’s sovereignty is maintained and respected.