The Evolution And Legitimacy Of International Security Institutions

"International institutions constitute the basis of global order. As they struggle to accommodate shifts in power and emerging threats, their legitimacy - their political authority and right to govern - often comes under fire, at times fuelling perceptions of crisis. Yet scholars seldom ask why some institutions are replaced while others are not. Blending theory with history, M. Patrick Cottrell examines some of the world's landmark security institutions, arguing that the possibility of replacement hinges on the sources of institutional legitimacy and the nature and timing of the challenges to it. The analysis not only reveals different pathways to replacement, but also offers a window into the future, including a potential dark side of too much legitimacy. Indeed, as global society becomes ever more dynamic, the fault-lines of conflict with the most significant implications for order will not occur over territory, but rather the legitimacy of international institutions"--

"International institutions constitute the basis of global order. As they struggle to accommodate shifts in power and emerging threats, their legitimacy - their political authority and right to govern - often comes under fire, at times fuelling perceptions of crisis. Yet scholars seldom ask why some institutions are replaced while others are not. Blending theory with history, M. Patrick Cottrell examines some of the world's landmark security institutions, arguing that the possibility of replacement hinges on the sources of institutional legitimacy and the nature and timing of the challenges to it. The analysis not only reveals different pathways to replacement, but also offers a window into the future, including a potential dark side of too much legitimacy. Indeed, as global society becomes ever more dynamic, the fault-lines of conflict with the most significant implications for order will not occur over territory, but rather the legitimacy of international institutions" ...

This book tackles the question: when international security institutions face a legitimacy crisis, why are some replaced while others endure?

Featuring an outstanding international line-up of contributors, this edited volume offers a timely examination of two of the most crucial and controversial issues in international relations, namely the evolution of particular concepts of multilateralism and whether international security institutions are the objects of state choice and/or consequential. The book combines a variety of theoretical perspectives with detailed empirical examples. The subjects covered include: the development and contemporary application of the concept of multilateralism American foreign and security policy in the post 9/11 era (unilateralism vs. multilateralism) humanitarian intervention and liberal peace case studies of a variety of security institutions including the EU, UN and NATO a broad selection of geographical examples from North America, Europe and Asia This book is a significant contribution to the contemporary debate on multilateralism and the effects of multilateral security institutions and will be of great interest to scholars of international relations and security studies.

The legitimacy of international and regional organizations and their actions is frequently asserted and challenged by states and commentators alike. Their authorisations or conduct of military interventions, their structures of decision-making, and their involvement into what states deem to be domestic matters have all raised questions of legitimacy. As international organizations lack the coercive powers of states, legitimacy is also considered central to their ability to attain compliance with their decisions. Despite the prominence of legitimacy talk around international organizations, little attention has been paid to the practices and processes through which such organizations and their member states justify the authority these organizations exercise - how they legitimise themselves both vis-à-vis their own members and external audiences. This book addresses this gap by comparing and evaluating the legitimation practices of a range of international and regional organizations. It examines the practices through which such organizations justify and communicate their legitimacy claims, and how these practices differ between organizations. In exploring the specific legitimation practices of international organizations, this book analyses the extent to which such practices are shaped by the structure of the different organizations, by the distinct normative environments within which they operate, and by the character of the audiences of their legitimacy claims. It also considers the implications of this analysis for global and regional governance.

The first intellectual history of International Security Studies since 1945, providing an unparalleled survey for students and scholars.

Explores the tensions that arise when institutions address contemporary security threats.

This book explores the enduring relevance of the League of Nations for the present and future of global politics.