Introduction to International Organizations -
Leiden University IRO Study Questions Solved
100% Correct| Latest Update 2024/25
What are the two great debates? - ✔✔1. Why do states cooperate, create, and join IOs
2. What is the role of IOs in world politics?
Role of IOs across different IR theories - ✔✔Neorealism - marginal role
Neo-institutionalism - allows reduction of uncertainty and transaction costs between states
Liberalism - divers (from commercial to world peace) for states as plural actors
Constructivism - transformative, independent, bureaucratic authority
Critical/Feminist theories - IOs replicate material/gender-based power structures
What is the "Principle-Agent Theory?" - ✔✔Occurs when the agent (IOs) is able to make
decisions on behalf of the principle (states)
Elaborate on the Covenant of the League of Nations - ✔✔Purpose - "promote international
cooperation to achieve international peace and security"
Problem - no comprehensive prohibition on use of force in intl. politics, military force permitted
if Council unable to resolve dispute
,Instruments for maintaining peace and security - disarmament, peaceful resolution, conflict
prevention
Organs of the League of Nations - ✔✔1. Assembly - plenary organ, unanimous decision-
making process
2. Council - executive organ, 6 permanent members (GB, FR, ITL, JAP, USSR, GER) + 4 non-
permanent (elected by Assembly)
3. Permanent Secretariat - led by Secretary-General
4. Permanent Court of Justice - 9 judges, 30 cases until 1940
Committees and Agencies of the League - ✔✔- Disarmament Committees
- Permanent Mandates Commission
- International Labor Organization
- League of Nations Health Organization
Why did the League fail? - ✔✔1. Failure to resolve Sino-Japanese Manchurian conflict - no
enforcement in open breach of Covenant
2. No collective defense and dilemma of peace vs. disarmament
3. Loss of credibility due to predominance of national interests of powerful states
4. Economic nationalism/protectionism after Great Depression
5. Easy membership withdrawal
,Foundation of the UN - ✔✔January 1942 - Washington - 26 Allied Powers sign Declaration by
the United Nations
November 1943 - Tehran - "world family of democratic nations"
October 1944 - Proposal of a "general IO" from negotiations among UK, US, USSR, China
April 1945 - United Nations Conference on International Organization, San Francisco
Matters of dispute at UN foundation - ✔✔- Role of regional organizations
- Right to veto of UNSC permanent members
- Status of ICJ jurisdiction
- Role of colonies/independence
What is the UN Charter? - ✔✔- Founding agreement of the UN - every other inter-state
treaty is subordinate to the Charter
- Set certain rules in IR - use of force & sovereign equality
What are the UN organs? - ✔✔- General Assembly (UNGA)
- Security Council (UNSC)
- Secretariat
- International Court of Justice (ICJ)
- Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- Trusteeship Council
The UN General Assembly - ✔✔- Plenary organ
, - Only one in which all member nations have equal representation
- Subsidiary organs - main committees, commissions, councils, Joint Inspection Unit
- Appoints non-permanent members to the Security Council
Regional groups in the UN - ✔✔1. African Group
2. Asia-Pacific Group
3. Eastern-Europe Group
4. Latin America and the Carribean (GRULAC)
5. Western Europe and Others (WEOG)
UNGA decision-making process - ✔✔- Important issues require 2/3 majority
- Other issues - simple majority
- Decisions are political recommendations - not legally binding
UNGA and Sovereign Equality - ✔✔Mitigation of effects of power and size differs across
different stages:
1. Agenda-setting stage - medium equalizing effect
2. Negotiation stage - weak equalizing effect
3. Decision-making stage - strong equalizing effect
UN membership procedure - ✔✔1. Formal application by state
2. Approval of Secretary-General
3. UNSC positive recommendation (9 votes + no veto)
4. UNGA ⅔ majority approval
UNGA budget - ✔✔- UNGA decides on budget of the UN on biennial basis - 2 years
Leiden University IRO Study Questions Solved
100% Correct| Latest Update 2024/25
What are the two great debates? - ✔✔1. Why do states cooperate, create, and join IOs
2. What is the role of IOs in world politics?
Role of IOs across different IR theories - ✔✔Neorealism - marginal role
Neo-institutionalism - allows reduction of uncertainty and transaction costs between states
Liberalism - divers (from commercial to world peace) for states as plural actors
Constructivism - transformative, independent, bureaucratic authority
Critical/Feminist theories - IOs replicate material/gender-based power structures
What is the "Principle-Agent Theory?" - ✔✔Occurs when the agent (IOs) is able to make
decisions on behalf of the principle (states)
Elaborate on the Covenant of the League of Nations - ✔✔Purpose - "promote international
cooperation to achieve international peace and security"
Problem - no comprehensive prohibition on use of force in intl. politics, military force permitted
if Council unable to resolve dispute
,Instruments for maintaining peace and security - disarmament, peaceful resolution, conflict
prevention
Organs of the League of Nations - ✔✔1. Assembly - plenary organ, unanimous decision-
making process
2. Council - executive organ, 6 permanent members (GB, FR, ITL, JAP, USSR, GER) + 4 non-
permanent (elected by Assembly)
3. Permanent Secretariat - led by Secretary-General
4. Permanent Court of Justice - 9 judges, 30 cases until 1940
Committees and Agencies of the League - ✔✔- Disarmament Committees
- Permanent Mandates Commission
- International Labor Organization
- League of Nations Health Organization
Why did the League fail? - ✔✔1. Failure to resolve Sino-Japanese Manchurian conflict - no
enforcement in open breach of Covenant
2. No collective defense and dilemma of peace vs. disarmament
3. Loss of credibility due to predominance of national interests of powerful states
4. Economic nationalism/protectionism after Great Depression
5. Easy membership withdrawal
,Foundation of the UN - ✔✔January 1942 - Washington - 26 Allied Powers sign Declaration by
the United Nations
November 1943 - Tehran - "world family of democratic nations"
October 1944 - Proposal of a "general IO" from negotiations among UK, US, USSR, China
April 1945 - United Nations Conference on International Organization, San Francisco
Matters of dispute at UN foundation - ✔✔- Role of regional organizations
- Right to veto of UNSC permanent members
- Status of ICJ jurisdiction
- Role of colonies/independence
What is the UN Charter? - ✔✔- Founding agreement of the UN - every other inter-state
treaty is subordinate to the Charter
- Set certain rules in IR - use of force & sovereign equality
What are the UN organs? - ✔✔- General Assembly (UNGA)
- Security Council (UNSC)
- Secretariat
- International Court of Justice (ICJ)
- Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- Trusteeship Council
The UN General Assembly - ✔✔- Plenary organ
, - Only one in which all member nations have equal representation
- Subsidiary organs - main committees, commissions, councils, Joint Inspection Unit
- Appoints non-permanent members to the Security Council
Regional groups in the UN - ✔✔1. African Group
2. Asia-Pacific Group
3. Eastern-Europe Group
4. Latin America and the Carribean (GRULAC)
5. Western Europe and Others (WEOG)
UNGA decision-making process - ✔✔- Important issues require 2/3 majority
- Other issues - simple majority
- Decisions are political recommendations - not legally binding
UNGA and Sovereign Equality - ✔✔Mitigation of effects of power and size differs across
different stages:
1. Agenda-setting stage - medium equalizing effect
2. Negotiation stage - weak equalizing effect
3. Decision-making stage - strong equalizing effect
UN membership procedure - ✔✔1. Formal application by state
2. Approval of Secretary-General
3. UNSC positive recommendation (9 votes + no veto)
4. UNGA ⅔ majority approval
UNGA budget - ✔✔- UNGA decides on budget of the UN on biennial basis - 2 years
