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Despite their exponential growth in number and activities, there is not an established legal concept of an international organization. This book tackles the topic by examining the nature of the legal systems developed by international organizations. It is the first comprehensive study of the concepts by which international organizations' legal systems are commonly understood: functionalism, constitutionalism, exceptionalism, and informalism. Its purpose is threefold: to trace the historical origins of the different concepts of an international organization, to describe four groups under which these different notions can be aligned, and to propose a theory which defines international organizations as 'dual entities'. The concept of an international organization is defined by looking at the nature of the legal systems they develop. The notion of 'dual legal nature' describes how organizations create particular legal systems that derive from international law. This situation affects the law they produce, which is international and internal at the same time. The effects of the dual legal nature are considered by analysing international responsibility, the law of treaties, and the validity of organizations' acts.

This new textbook introduces readers to the nature, structure and purpose of international organizations (IOs). Taking a broad, issues-based approach, the book goes beyond a conventional focus on topics like security and finance to cover global health, migration, food security, and technology. In addition to providing cases of the best-known intergovernmental organizations such as the UN and the World Trade Organization, this text gives space to a wide variety of other bodies, including international non-governmental organizations, non-state actors and multinational enterprises. It looks at the motivations behind regional cooperation with case studies of the European Union and the African Union, and at human rights with reference to bodies as diverse as the International Criminal Court and Amnesty International. Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, International Organizations uses a range of pedagogical tools and visual features to guide understanding. These include: graphs to illustrate key trends; regional and world maps to illustrate wealth, democracy and development; tables of major international treaties and organizations; chapter previews; and lists of key terms and organizations. The text also makes use of IOs in Theory, IOs in Action and Spotlight boxes to answer focused questions and provide more detail on how IOs operate in different parts of the world. This contemporary survey is an essential text for those studying global governance and international organizations.

"The first global intellectual history of the rise and spread of the modern international system. Providing a new understanding of that system and its contemporary functions, this book will be of interest to advanced students and scholars of international relations, international law, intellectual and global history, and historical sociology"--

"International Finance is an established and internationally renowned introduction to the subject. It draws on recent events to provide comprehensive coverage of traditional theories and new research relating to the balance of payments, exchange rate determination and the international monetary system. This is the fifth edition of the text."