Democracy at the United Nations

What role should the United Nations play in a globalising world? How can it support and embody international democracy? The decline of state sovereignty, an effect of globalisation, is bringing about a crisis both in politics, as a tool to pursue the common good, and in democracy, as the key instrument by which we can control our destinies. The UN, the only organisation with broad political goals and worldwide jurisdiction, has the potential to manage globalisation democratically and promote the common good of humanity. However, it is still controlled by nation states and operates according to power relations typical of the pre-globalisation era. UN reform is therefore crucial, today more than ever.
This book examines two areas of reform: first, the creation of a democratic assembly in which world citizens are represented, in order to adapt democracy to meet the challenges of globalisation; and second, the strengthening of the Security Council through democratisation and regionalisation, in order to ensure world security, whose characteristics have evolved significantly in the global age. The contributors come from a wide variety of different backgrounds, including political science, sociology, economics, law, philosophy and history, providing a multifaceted and multidisciplinary debate on this important topic.

Autorentext

Giovanni Finizio teaches EU foreign policy at the University of Turin, and is a Researcher at the Centre for Studies on Federalism, where he serves as Scientific Coordinator of the International Democracy Watch.
Ernesto Gallo holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Turin. He has published in Italian and English and, after lecturing in several British universities, is currently Academic Tutor in Social Sciences at Kaplan International College, London.

Inhalt

Contents: Giovanni Finizio and Ernesto Gallo: Introduction - Mario Telò: A World of Regions? New Regionalism as a Response to Globalisation and the Decline of US Hegemony - Lucio Levi: Erosion of State Sovereignty and Institutions to Govern Globalisation - Samir Amin: Whither the United Nations? - Joseph P. Baratta: World Government or Global Governance? The UN Project in Historical Perspective - Alessandro Polsi: Changing the United Nations. The Key Role of Governance and Managerial Reform - Daniele Archibugi: Cosmopolitan Democracy. A Restatement - Ernesto Gallo: Globalisation, Cosmopolitanism and Democracy - Andrew L. Strauss: On the First Branch of Global Governance - Raffaele Marchetti: Beyond the UN. A World Federal Government? - Fen O. Hampson: The Evolution of Security in a Globalizing World - Joseph E. Schwartzberg: Universal Regional Representation as a Basis for Security Council Reform - Hans Köchler: Security Council Reform. A Requirement of International Democracy - Paolo Bargiacchi: Strengthening the Rule of Law as a Means of Reforming the UN Security Council - Giovanni Finizio: The Security Council Reform as a «Sustainable Process». The Role of the European Union.