Level 87
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Geopolitics, Power, and Global Conflict

International Organizations and Global Governance

A survey of the institutions that coordinate international cooperation, law, and conflict resolution across the world, from the United Nations and the Bretton Woods system to regional blocs, military alliances, and the NGOs that challenge and supplement state power.

60-Second Review

Express review

A condensed, point-by-point summary of the module, for reviewing right before a test or exam.

  1. The United Nations and Its Agencies. Founded in 1945 to replace the League of Nations, the UN coordinates peace, law, and development globally.
  2. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Bretton Woods in 1944 created the IMF and World Bank to stabilize currencies and rebuild the postwar economy.
  3. Regional Political Blocs and Alliances. Regional blocs like the EU, AU, and ASEAN pool sovereignty for economic and political cooperation.
  4. International Law and the International Court of Justice. The ICJ settles disputes between states, distinct from the ICC, which prosecutes individuals.
  5. NATO and Global Military Alliances. NATO, founded in 1949 on collective defense, has expanded eastward and added Finland and Sweden after 2022.
  6. The World Trade Organization and Trade Governance. The WTO, founded in 1995 from GATT, governs global trade rules but its dispute system is now paralyzed.
  7. NGOs and Transnational Advocacy Networks. NGOs from the ICRC to Amnesty International mobilize transnational networks to shape state behavior on rights and humanitarian norms.
  8. Challenges to Multilateral Cooperation. Veto gridlock, funding shortfalls, and rival institutions like the AIIB and BRICS bank strain postwar multilateralism.

This module continues after "Theories of Geopolitics and Global Power" in the syllabus. If you haven't reviewed it yet, it may help set the context.

Key points

Visual module map

1The United Nations and Its Agencies
2Regional Political Blocs and Alliances
3NATO and Global Military Alliances
4The World Trade Organization and Trade Governance
5Challenges to Multilateral Cooperation

Alternative visual view: a simplified sequence of some of the module's key points, in their order within the syllabus.

Your module mastery

0% (overall measurement)
Approximate breakdown by skill
Understanding of historiographical debate0%

A rough estimate based on the key points reviewed, not an exact measurement of actual mastery.

Final test

You need to review all key points to unlock the final test.

Optional mini-games

Extra practice, with no penalty, to reinforce the module's content.

Review Flashcards

Review each key point with cards that flip to reveal the summary.

Memory

Match each concept with its definition in as few attempts as possible.

Time Attack

Answer true or false statements before time runs out.

Chronological Order

Put the module's key points back in their original order.

Further reading

Bibliography and cited sources used to create this module.

  • Karns, M.P., Mingst, K.A., and Stiles, K.W. (2015). International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance (3rd ed.). Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
  • Steil, B. (2013). The Battle of Bretton Woods: John Maynard Keynes, Harry Dexter White, and the Making of a New World Order. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  • Keck, M.E., and Sikkink, K. (1998). Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
  • Ikenberry, G.J. (2001). After Victory: Institutions, Strategic Restraint, and the Rebuilding of Order after Major Wars. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  • Barnett, M., and Finnemore, M. (2004). Rules for the World: International Organizations in Global Politics. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
  • Stiglitz, J.E. (2002). Globalization and Its Discontents. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.