Invisible Governance: International Secretariats in Global Politics

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Kumarian Press, 2007 - Political Science - 295 pages
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.
 

Contents

Human Rights the Internet the Environment the Seas
87
Human Rights Weapons of Mass Destruction War Crimes
133
Providing Services for Peace and Security
149
Providing Humanitarian Relief
175
Managing the International Economy and Social
193
How the International Public Sector Manages Itself
225
The Accountability Problem
247
International Secretariats in Future World Politics
257
References
263
Index
271
About the Author
295
Copyright

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About the author (2007)

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 womenrsquo;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.

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