Invisible Governance: International Secretariats in Global Politics - Softcover

Mathiason, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 156549220X ISBN 13: 9781565492202

Publisher: Kumarian Press, 2007

Synopsis

International public servants and their far-reaching secretariats receive little press attention when nation-states take the spotlight in significant international events, which is why author John Mathiason and others commonly refer to them as invisible. But secretariats’ activities are constantly shaping the course of history with inspectors determining whether uranium enrichment in Iran is for peaceful purposes, maintaining surveillance on a possible bird flu epidemic (the World Health Organization), raising alarms about starvation in Zimbabwe (the World Food Programme), or passing judgment on former heads of state and military officers in the Balkans (the United Nations war crimes tribunal).

Having served as a member of the United Nations Secretariat for 25 years, author John Mathiason offers a unique behind-the-scenes view, taking readers through of the life and duties of an international public servant. Through personal accounts and extensive knowledge of a variety of international organizations, Mathiason covers the implications of being an influential, but "invisible" entity. He charts the difficulties in documenting scope and accountability, the issues such as disarmament, human rights, and environmental protection that he encountered while serving at the secretariat and charts the history of these dynamic and expansive entities present in every crucial event of the past century.

By looking at the international public sector as an actor in its own right, Invisible Governance provides a new perspective on the workings of the international system and tools and approaches for ensuring that the system works effectively and with accountability.

About this title

About the Author:

John Mathiason is an adjunct professor of international relations at Syracuse University. For 30 years he was a career staff member of the United Nations Secretariat, working in different parts of the Secretariat and completing his career as a Principal Officer and Deputy Director of the Division for the Advancement of Women, responsible for management of substantive support to the United Nations women’s program. Since taking early retirement he has been consultant to a number of other United Nations organizations including the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization and the United Nations Development Program as well as several non-governmental organizations. He has published on management of the international verification regime for the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, United Nations accountability, internet governance and other fields in which the role of international secretariats is growing.

Review:

"In an age of cynicism, Invisible Governance provides a breath of fresh air, bringing vividly to life the reality of those individuals laboring out of the public's eye to make the UN system work. Journalistic and academic analyses alike usually emphasize the "first UN" where states scrap to protect their interests but ignore the "second UN" of international civil servants trying to alleviate poverty or protect refugees. This is an especially valuable contribution to our understanding of contemporary global governance."

This book will work well in the classroom by providing students insights into a part of world politics all too often out of sight.

About this edition

• Publisher: Kumarian Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 156549220X
• ISBN 13: 9781565492202
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 288