Executive master thesis | International Relations and Diplomacy (MSc)
open access
States in the international system create international organizations to find solutions to collective action problems. To remain relevant, these organizations oftentimes need to adapt to newly...Show moreStates in the international system create international organizations to find solutions to collective action problems. To remain relevant, these organizations oftentimes need to adapt to newly arising challenges and issues. This need for institutional rearrangement and adaptation is most prominent during short periods of times, often referred to as critical junctures. The subsequent academic thesis will contrast the two critical junctures of the UN´s 75th Anniversary and the war in Ukraine, and their respective impact on the Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly. This will yield insights into how the momentum generated by such critical junctures can better be harnessed to advance reform processes in international organizations. The United Nations is the foremost international organization, and the General Assembly its most universal organ. Its 193 members come together to discuss a plethora of topics and to find solutions to the most pressing concerns of the 21st century. In 2020, amidst the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the United Nations celebrated its 75th Anniversary and adopting a set of commitments aimed at accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs outlined therein. In 2021 Secretary General Antonio Guterres proposed concrete steps to fulfill these commitments in his report Our Common Agenda. Especially, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the General Assembly has been increasingly vocal on issues related to international peace and security, originally the primary responsibility of the Security Council. The UNGA´s 11th Emergency Special Session on the war has resulted in numerous resolutions deploring the aggression, calling on Russia to remove its troops from Ukraine´s sovereign territory, but also rejecting Russia from the UN´s Human Rights Council and establishing the groundwork for an international registry of damages. Does this increasing activity constitute a broader shift in the UNGA´s self-perception, the interpretation of its mandate and of its working methods?Show less
This thesis explores power dynamics in public institutions and their impact on the implementation of SDG 11 in Barcelona. Through a critical realism approach, a case study and qualitative...Show moreThis thesis explores power dynamics in public institutions and their impact on the implementation of SDG 11 in Barcelona. Through a critical realism approach, a case study and qualitative methodology are used to understand the historical and contemporary influence of institutional power. The data collected, through semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis, highlights how critical junctures over the last three decades have created institutional inertias that affect the implementation of SDG 11 in the city. Resistance to change, prioritisation of economic efficiency over sustainability and the need for inter-institutional collaboration are identified as key factors. The lessons learned from the Barcelona experience could inform implementation strategies for sustainable urban development policies in similar contexts. Despite its limitations, this study contributes to the theoretical and practical understanding of SDG implementation in urban settings and suggests directions for future research.Show less
