This thesis focuses on the peacekeeping partnership between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN), in the context of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). It investigates the...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the peacekeeping partnership between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN), in the context of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). It investigates the question: “How did the AU and the UN institutional (in)compatibility impact the effectiveness of AMISOM?” Both the practical and executive sides of the institutions involved, and the congruence between the mandate, resources, and activities undertaken are considered when evaluating the effectiveness of the mission. This is done using the congruence component of the analytical framework of Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON). This part of the framework describes the strategic intent, mandate and aims to understand whether the mission has achieved its mandated tasks, and the extent to which there was consensus about this among various stakeholders. While the mission had a clear mandate, the main form of logistical support, the United Nations Support Office for AMISOM (UNSOA), was not designed to do its job. Mainly because it had roots in the UN’s bureaucratic system, UNSOA was never able to meet the expectations of the mandate and objectives of AMISOM. The partnership between the AU and the UN was born out of the mutual recognition that alone, neither of them could cope with the multitude of security challenges facing Somalia. The mission had a peace-enforcement nature but was unable to successfully carry out its mandate and objectives because of the limitation of using peacekeeping logistics. The inability of overcoming the institutional differences between the two organizations has led to the failure to accomplish the mission’s mandate and the additional objectives and has led to an ineffective peacekeeping partnership that was not successful in living up to its full potential. For future peacekeeping partnerships, this means that working on a more equal and consistent relationship between the AU and the UN will likely improve the effectiveness of the collaboration and the mandate, objectives, and activities of the mission.Show less
After the Second World War, eleven dependent territories came under supervision of the United Nations Trusteeship Council. This thesis focuses on the trust territories of Togoland under British and...Show moreAfter the Second World War, eleven dependent territories came under supervision of the United Nations Trusteeship Council. This thesis focuses on the trust territories of Togoland under British and French administration and their roads to independence. It questions how the UN Trusteeship Council managed developments of decolonization in these West African trust territories. Specifically, it analyses the ways in which the Council was able to facilitate or obstruct policies by the British and French governments to retain control over the decolonization of these territories. It concludes that the role of the Council was determined by the compatibility of such policies with the aims of the Council, as well as by the interplay of national interests, international diplomacy and dynamics of empire.Show less
This MA thesis investigates the impact of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 on Dutch counterterrorism policy and legislation. In this case study and policy analysis the main elements that play a...Show moreThis MA thesis investigates the impact of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 on Dutch counterterrorism policy and legislation. In this case study and policy analysis the main elements that play a role in (counter)terrorism research are touched upon to provide a conceptual basis. A theoretical framework based on the social constructivist approach is then used in order to shed light on the processes that play a role in the transposition of international agreements, in the shape of norms, into a domestic setting, Dutch counterterrorism policy. To do so this thesis draws on literature on norm diffusion to discuss how resolution 1373 is translated from the international to a domestic context. As a case study Dutch counterterrorism policy and legislation is analyzed to illustrate the conceptual process of norm diffusion. Furthermore, statistical data on UN Security Council Resolutions is used to investigate the political interest in terrorism on the international agenda.Show less
This thesis is concerned with determining the effectiveness of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in the contexts where the host state is either unwilling or unable to fulfill...Show moreThis thesis is concerned with determining the effectiveness of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in the contexts where the host state is either unwilling or unable to fulfill its duty to protect. Through conducting an analysis of the conduct of garment sector companies in Myanmar and the commitments of their home states, this thesis finds that home states remain reluctant to regulate the conduct of their businesses abroad and that businesses themselves are insufficiently incentivised to apply all the recommendations set out in the UNGP's. In contexts that lack effective regulation by the host state this is problematic as it creates governance gaps in which human rights violations conducted by foreign corporations are insufficiently prevented, addressed and/or remediated.Show less
This thesis argues that practice of presenting gifts to the UN by member states constitutes a vital part of the diplomatic discourse at the UN, as the gifts contribute – positively or negatively –...Show moreThis thesis argues that practice of presenting gifts to the UN by member states constitutes a vital part of the diplomatic discourse at the UN, as the gifts contribute – positively or negatively – to social solidarity by reflecting on the identity of the UN and the gift-giving motives related to instrumentality and power. This argument is substantiated by drawing on Komter’s (2009) theoretical framework, by drawing on Lister and Wells’ (2004) cultural studies approach to visual culture and by the analysis of an American gift, Canadian gift, and Soviet gift. The main findings of the analysis of the historical context, the context of viewing, the context of production and distribution and the material, cultural and social properties of the gift indicate that the gifts donated to the UN contribute to social solidarity irrespective of the political or cultural dispositions of the donating member-state based on the three aforementioned aspects. Nonetheless, the gifts do emphasize different aspects based on the self-interest of the donor.Show less
The question is where China's international human rights participation will lead to. Will it lead to the improvement of the international human rights system? Will it lead to the erosion of the...Show moreThe question is where China's international human rights participation will lead to. Will it lead to the improvement of the international human rights system? Will it lead to the erosion of the system? Or will it have little effect and sustain the system? This paper will discuss whether China’s participation within the UN has led to the erosion of the international human rights system since the Xi Jinping administration. In order to keep this a feasible topic to discuss within this paper, the focus will be on two human rights related bodies in the UN: the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). In addition, the research will be centred around the Xi Jinping administration, as an increase of China’s international involvement can be observed during his administration. Furthermore, the concept of the international human rights system will be based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the UN. The focus points of this paper will therefore be the Xi Jinping administration, China’s participation within the UN, and the erosion of the UDHR.Show less
As the involvement of regional organizations in peacekeeping has significantly grown over the past decades, the relationship of these organizations with the United Nations has been reconfigured....Show moreAs the involvement of regional organizations in peacekeeping has significantly grown over the past decades, the relationship of these organizations with the United Nations has been reconfigured. This is particularly the case for the African Union and the UN, that set up their first peacekeeping mission with joint ownership in 2007 with UNAMID, the UN-AU hybrid mission in Darfur. The UN-AU relationship is not only determined by global-regional power relations, also postcolonial power relations play a role. As a result of these power relations, the AU is often perceived as being rather agency- and powerless. This thesis will counter this narrative, by studying the way in which the AU exercised agency over the set-up of UNAMID. It finds that while the AU was constrained by material capacity and the influence of powerful actors, it was still able to exercise agency and have influence on the UN, by using discursive strategies and the contestation of norms. Following these findings, this thesis advocates for a decolonial shift in the understanding of the AU that makes space for African agency and African contributions in international affairs, particularly, but not only, in peace and security matters.Show less
Small states occupy a minor, yet important, aspect of the study of international relations. While large states and great powers are still accorded the lion’s share of agency in international...Show moreSmall states occupy a minor, yet important, aspect of the study of international relations. While large states and great powers are still accorded the lion’s share of agency in international politics and negotiations, scholars have long recognised that small states are not passive actors and can influence developments on the international stage despite their limited resources. This is accomplished mainly through a variety of strategies that small states apply on the international stage. The effectiveness of these strategies are subject to conditions in the wider international or institutional context, but are still the major avenue through which small state governments exercise agency outside of their national borders. These strategies have been closely examined by scholars, particularly in the context of the European Union, where the highly formalised institutional environment offers both obstacles and opportunities for small states to pursue their agendas at the supranational level. The case study of Ireland, a small state on the periphery of the EU, will be examined in order to determine how peripheral small state governments attempt to affect the development of EU policy. Irish attempts to influence EU foreign and security policy will be investigated, policies that have traditionally been dominated by analyses of large state actors. However, an increasing amount of scholarship argues that small states have the ability to affect the EU in this field as well. This thesis seeks to place the interaction between Ireland and the EU in the wider global context by examining the role a third party international organisation, the UN, has on Ireland’s influence at the EU.Show less
Economic sanctions have frequently been used as a foreign policy tool against the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The consequences of these sanctions have been...Show moreEconomic sanctions have frequently been used as a foreign policy tool against the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The consequences of these sanctions have been investigated for instance in the context of basic human rights. However, the quality of life for Iran’s local communities is also largely defined by trends of environmental change, particularly those relating to water, such as more frequent droughts and flooding. As economic sanctions have, directly or indirectly, led to diminished resources at the national and local level, the capacity of local communities to adapt to environmental change is also hindered. An analysis of these international-national-local relations through the lens of environmental justice suggests that such community-level indirect effects should be better taken into account in evaluating the consequences and justification of economic sanctions.Show less
Women’s rights have been a concern for women worldwide for a long time. Activism and international politics in the 1960s and 1970s led to the establishment of the United Nations Decade for Women,...Show moreWomen’s rights have been a concern for women worldwide for a long time. Activism and international politics in the 1960s and 1970s led to the establishment of the United Nations Decade for Women, which took place from 1975 to 1985. The Decade brought together different perspectives on women’s rights. Western women, women from the socialist bloc and women from developing countries all had different hopes and aspirations for the three conferences that were held. This thesis analyses the interaction between the three different groups and reflects on the contributions the Decade made to women’s rights movements and to the United Nations. Although north-south and east-west divisions were clearly present, the conference delegations managed to bridge some differences and integrate their views on women’s rights and influence the UN.Show less
The United Nations did not deploy a peacekeeping mission in Africa for a quarter of a century following its contentious intervention in the Congo in the early 1960s. Due to this lack of military...Show moreThe United Nations did not deploy a peacekeeping mission in Africa for a quarter of a century following its contentious intervention in the Congo in the early 1960s. Due to this lack of military intervention, much of the existing scholarship has overlooked the organisation’s influence in the process of African decolonisation during the Cold War. In contrast, this thesis re-examines the relationship between United Nations intervention and African decolonisation through the case studies of the Congo and Southern Rhodesia between 1960 and 1980. During this period, the United Nations explored alternative means of diplomatic and economic intervention in Africa, examined in this thesis through the organisation’s relationship with the white minority government of Southern Rhodesia. This was not a period of non-intervention, but rather a time of complex reconfiguration for the organisation concerning its future role within the process of African decolonisation.Show less
The Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 were established in the 1960s as two organizations working primarily through the United Nations to represent the issues and interests of the Global...Show moreThe Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 were established in the 1960s as two organizations working primarily through the United Nations to represent the issues and interests of the Global South. This thesis researches why the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 have not merged together despite their overwhelming similarities. In addition, it is researched what the (dis)advantages of merging together would be for the two organizations.Show less
The present Bachelor thesis looks at why refugees of Palestinian origin are treated differently from all other refugees and how this affects their rights. Palestinian refugees are the only group...Show moreThe present Bachelor thesis looks at why refugees of Palestinian origin are treated differently from all other refugees and how this affects their rights. Palestinian refugees are the only group that has been specifically excluded from the protection and the rights stipulated in the 1951 Refugee Convention. Although their ongoing displacement clearly constitutes a protracted refugee situation, Palestinian refugees do not respond to three-step solution that the UNHCR pursues in such situations: assimilation, resettlement or repatriation. By resolution 194 the United Nations in 1948 enshrined the right of return for the Palestinian refugees and created a dedicated agency, the Conciliation Commission on Palestine (UNCCP), to assure the collective rights of Palestinians. The UNCCP has become obsolete over the years without being formally abandoned and the UNRWA, the Relief and Works Agency that is tasked with the delivery humanitarian assistance is facing increasing restrictions. Being tied to weak organisations that were meant to offer some sort of protection, many Palestinian refugees today have to face the dilemma that only collective rights, as stipulated in resolution 194, preserve their right of return. Upholding this collective claim means that they have to no access to individual rights and thus suffer from a protection gap that is ever growing.Show less
In an even more globalised world, the role of international institutions has become both increasingly important and controversial. The rise of global governance also has an impact for governance at...Show moreIn an even more globalised world, the role of international institutions has become both increasingly important and controversial. The rise of global governance also has an impact for governance at the domestic level as many issues are decided, at least partly, at the international level. The question is, then, how great is this influence of international institutions at the domestic level? This thesis will explore this topic by doing a case study analysis that focuses on a specific issue, the Irish abortion law. The case study will focus on three instances in which Irish women sued the Irish state in the international courts for the suffering that the strict abortion law had caused them. The research question that will be used is ‘How did international institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union influence the abortion law in Ireland?’. This thesis’ hypothesis is that the executive power of international institutions at the domestic level is limited. Instead, the influence that international institutions have mainly flows from their ability to set international norms and standards. Through a qualitative document analysis of official court documents, court rulings, reports, and news articles, the impact of international institutions on the Irish abortion has been explored. Previous research on the practical impact of UN treaties and the concept of ‘soft power’ have been used as the foundation for the research. The main research findings are that the international institutions’ impact at the domestic level varies per domestic issue and context. Further, the hypothesis was correct in that the international institution’s involvement in the issue was considered legitimate due to its use of soft power. The final conclusion was that for the Irish abortion law specifically, an interplay of both international and domestic factors were needed for a change to be brought about.Show less
The inconsistent application of the United Nations (UN) Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine has facilitated a discussion on the legitimacy of the principle. While the legal and ethical issues...Show moreThe inconsistent application of the United Nations (UN) Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine has facilitated a discussion on the legitimacy of the principle. While the legal and ethical issues concerning R2P have been examined in detail, scholars have mostly neglected its practical dimension. In order to interpret the inconsistent implementation of R2P, the cases of Syria and the Central African Republic (CAR) serve as a comparative framework. Thereby, this paper argues that the geopolitical interests of the Security Council’s permanent member states had a major impact on the adoption of R2P’s non-coercive and coercive instruments. From these case studies and the UNSC’s in/-action three implications for R2P are inferred: that the conditions for the successful implementation of the principle are dependent on the P5, that its application does not in fact delegitimise the doctrine and that a reformist approach can improve the inconsistencies in international response.Show less
