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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Do peace operations work? And can they protect civilians?
16 Dec 2019These were some of the questions raised when researchers from the NUPI-led Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) shared their insights in Washington, D.C. and New York.
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EPON at Stockholm Forum for Peace and Development 2019
31 May 2019On 14-16 May 2019, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-hosted the 2019 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development titled ‘From crisis response to peacebuilding: Achieving synergies’.
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New book: UN Peace Operations in a Changing Global Order
23 Oct 2018In this book launch interview, editors Mateja Peter and Cedric de Coning reflect upon findings from their most recent book, identifying four global transformations and their implications for UN peace operations.
Publications about united nations
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Publication
: Report
China in the Sustainable Development Agenda: Key Institutions for International Engagement
2020China has a large and expansive network of actors working on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) activities. This report maps the foremost key Chinese actors and institutions with an orientation towards international activities. -
Publication
: Report
China’s role in the Sustainable Development Agenda: Considerations for Norway
2020China’s role as an international development actor is growing, with real and increasing potential to impact Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). On some issues, Chinese initiatives align well with Norwegian interests, but China’s approach to development also diverges on some key practices and norms.... -
Publication
: Report
China in the Sustainable Development Agenda: Key environmental issues and responses
2020China is dealing with very serious pollution levels and the unsustainable use of many natural resources. Environmental issues, concerning both air, ground, and ocean, have gained increasing recognition in Chinese domestic politics, and China is stepping into more active roles in international environmental...- Gørild Heggelund
Research projects about united nations
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Foto: John Taggart/Reuters/NTB Scanpix
Research project
China and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (CHINSDG)
2018 - 2019 (Ongoing)What are Chinese priorities in relation to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and how do Chinese actors promote their interests and prospects for international cooperation?
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Photograph: miguelb/Creative Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0
Research project
The Nordics and the International
2019 (Ongoing)Why is there not more Nordic cooperation on the international arena, when Nordic politicians so often express a willingness to develop cooperation in this field further? This project aims to build new...
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Photograph: NTB Scanpix
Research project
World of the Right: Alternative visions of global order (WoR)
2018 - 2021 (Ongoing)The project will look deeper into the conservative New Right in countries such as Russia, the US, and Europe, examining in particular the alternative visions of Western civilisational order that these...