Handout for Week 9

PS 140 Handout for Week 9 Week of October 28th, 2024 Lectures 15 & 16 Textbook 7.3-7.5, 8.1, & 8.3; Mosley, Guisinger Key terms and concepts UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) • Definition: • Example & other details: World Health Organization (WHO) • Definition: • Example & other details: World Court (International Court of Justice [ICJ]) • Definition: • Example & other details: Immigration Law • Definition: • Example & other details: Diplomatic Recognition • Definition: • Example & other details: Diplomatic Immunity • Definition: • Example & other details: Just Wars • Definition: • Example & other details: Human Rights • Definition: • Example & other details: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) • Definition: • Example & other details: Amnesty International • Definition: • Example & other details: Responsibility to Protect (R2P) • Definition: • Example & other details: War Crimes • Definition: • Example & other details: Crimes Against Humanity • Definition: • Example & other details: International Criminal Court (ICC) • Definition: • Example & other details: Prisoners of War (POWs) • Definition: • Example & other details: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) • Definition: • Example & other details: Mercantilism • Definition: • Example & other details: Economic Liberalism • Definition: • Example & other details: Free Trade • Definition: • Example & other details: Balance of Trade • Definition: • Example & other details: Comparative Advantage • Definition: • Example & other details: Autarky • Definition: • Example & other details: Protectionism • Definition: • Example & other details: Dumping • Definition: • Example & other details: Tariff • Definition: • Example & other details: Nontariff Barriers • Definition: • Example & other details: Industrialization • Definition: • Example & other details: Centrally Planned Economy • Definition: • Example & other details: Transitional Economies • Definition: • Example & other details: State-owned Industries • Definition: • Example & other details: Mixed Economies • Definition: • Example & other details: Discussion: 1) What are the present challenges facing the European Union? Some issues are economic disparities between member states, the impact of Brexit, immigration pressures, and differing political agendas within the union. These issues test the balance between maintaining unity and respecting national sovereignty. Additionally, external threats such as tensions with Russia and economic competitions with the US and China, add to the complexity. 2) Given the difficulty of enforcing international law, how might the role of the World Court be strengthened in the future? What obstacles might such plans encounter? How would these obstacles change the Court’s role if they were effective? To strengthen the World Court, or the ICJ, reforms could include mandatory jurisdiction for all UN member states or enhanced enforcement mechanisms through the UN Security Council. However, these changes will likely face opposition as states may be reluctant to give up sovereignty. If effective, these reforms could make the Court more influential but could also backfire if states feel they’re power is too intrusive. 3) What is the current structure of the UNSC, and do you think it is fair? How would you change the representation on the UNSC, if at all? The UNSC is currently composed of five permanent members with veto power and ten rotating members. I think that the structure was fair for when it originated, but seeing as power dynamics have changed tremendously, the structure of an institution like this should reflect that shift. I see that expanding permanent membership to include nations from regions that are currently underrepresented, like Africa and Latin America, could be beneficial. By making this change, it could reinforce the democratic nature of decision making, however, resistance from the P5, could create a significant barrier for change. 4) Functional economic ties among European states have contributed to the emergence of a supranational political structure, the EU, which has considerable though not unlimited power. Do you think the same thing could happen in North America? Could the United States, Canada, and Mexico form a future North American Union like the EU? What problems would it be likely to face, given the experience of the EU? A North American Union would face challenges as the states themselves are very unique. They each have different levels of economic development, contrasting political cultures, and differing approaches to immigration and trade. Considering that the US plays a dominant role in this region already, it is unlikely it would cede sovereignty to a supranational entity. Some lessons that we can learn from the EU is that there needs to be a level of cohesion in policy alignment and shared decision-making processes in order to be a successful organization. 5) Why do states violate human rights? What are some of the issues with trying to enforce human rights protections? Incapacity (to control groups), “national security,” to suppress domestic political dissent, leaders may view granting human rights as a threat to their survival, and against individuals or groups deared to be allied with foreign power or seen as national security threats. Enforcing human rights protections can be challenging due to national sovereignty, the lack of global enforcement mechanisms, and political biases in international response. Additionally, attempts to combat human rights violations externally can end up backfiring by isolating or destabilizing the offending state further.