United Nations
The United Nations (UN), established in 1945, is an international organization with states as members.
The UN functions both as an arena for states to negotiate international rules and norms, and as an actor set to monitor these rules and engage in activities to further specific goals, such as peacekeeping operations and humanitarian relief. The UN is unique among international organizations because it represents the most encompassing and ambitious attempt to institutionalize cooperation and to regulate inter-state relations through rules. The UN consists of a General Assembly where all member states are represented, a Security Council, and a Secretariat. The broader UN system is made up of programme and funds like the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and specialized agencies like the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
At NUPI, central areas of research on the UN include:
- the evolution of norms of non-intervention
- the politics of the UN Security Council and the role of global summits
- the legitimacy and efficacy of the UN’s operational activities
News about united nations
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The UN Security Council, Afghanistan and Norway
4 Oct 2021The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are organizing a series of thematic roundtable meetings about current issues on the Security Council's agenda. The situation in...
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OP-ED: As UN Security Council Discusses Climate-related Conflict, What Role Should It Play?
22 Sep 2021Last month, the UN Secretary-General called the latest assessment report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) a “code red for humanity,” noting that the evidence is irrefutable: global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many of the changes...
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New Nordic-Baltic Network on Climate, Peace and Security Established
10 Jun 2021In order to establish a sustainable knowledge base on climate, peace and security issues in the Nordic-Baltic region, twelve research institutes have come together to establish a research network on climate, peace and security.
Publications about united nations
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Publication
: Popular scientific article
Ad Hoc Crisis Response and International Organisations (ADHOCISM)
2021International organisations (IOs) are created with the aim of solving collective action problems when a crisis arises. Yet, member states have repeatedly established ad hoc crisis responses in situations where IOs might be expected to play a central role. ADHOCISM asks what is the impact of ad hoc crisis... -
Publication
: Popular scientific article
UN Peacekeeping and the Kindleberger Trap
2021For close to a decade, the UN has been under the double pressure of a high number of fatalities and pressure from member states to cut costs, particularly from the United States. Since 2013, the UN has not launched a new large peacekeeping mission, but large missions have been closed in Côte d’Ivoire,... -
Publication
: Policy brief
Understanding Ad-Hoc Security Intitiatives in Africa
The policy brief examines the rise of ad-hoc security initiatives (ASIs) as an established type of collective security mechanism. ASIs are intended to eliminate threats posed by non-state armed groups, and operate across the borders of participating countries to enable the pursuit of such groups. ASIs have...
Research projects about united nations
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Research project
Public–Private Development Interfaces in Ethiopia (DEVINT)
2021 - 2024 (Ongoing)Private actors are increasingly operating in the name of development and in partnership with international development actors. This project (DEVINT) will explore the nexus of private actors and publicly...
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Research project
Ad hoc crisis response and international organisations (ADHOCISM)
2021 - 2025 (Ongoing)ADHOCISM asks what is the impact of ad hoc crisis responses on international organisations?
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Foto: Kyrre Lien/NTB Scanpix
Research project
Reference group for Norway's membership in the UN Security Council
2021 - 2022 (Ongoing)Norway has a seat in the UN Security Council in 2021 - 2022. Through this project we will facilitate meetings with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss important strategic issues.