A Changing United Nations: Multilateral Evolution and the Quest for Global Governance (Global Issues)

The United Nations is at a critical juncture. It is faced with two distinct choices: to remain a 'decision frozen in time' or to develop a long-term adaptation agenda (and strategy) that would allow it to be a relevant institution of global governance for the twenty-first century. Reform and reflexive institutional adjustments have failed to address underlying problems facing this organization. After fifty-five years of existence it is still considered an inefficient and ineffective world body. Worse yet, its relevance is being questioned. This study offers a critique of existing UN change processes and then shifts focus to considerations of institutional learning strategies that would allow the UN to maintain relevance amidst the evolution of global governance arrangements.

W. ANDY KNIGHT is Professor of International Relations in the Department of Political Science at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, and Vice Chair of the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS). Among his recent books are Beyond the State: A Critical Re-evaluation of Canadian 'Foreign Policy', (with D.Black and C.Sjolander), United Nations and Arms Embargoes Verification and State, Society and the UN System: Changing Perspectives on Multilateralism.