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8 Global Governance 53 (2002)
The Two Faces of the United Nations: The Tension between Intergovernmentalism and Transnationalism

handle is hein.journals/glogo8 and id is 63 raw text is: Global Governance 8 (2002), 53-71 The Two Faces of the United Nations: The Tension Between Intergovernmentalism and Transnationalism Bruce Cronin here is a tension within the United Nations between intergovern- mentalism and transnationalism, two forces that encompass dif- ferent sets of interests and reflect distinct constituencies. As an intergovernmental institution, the UN reflects the overlapping interests of its member states, particularly those on the Security Council. Major initiatives and policies are promoted by accredited delegations, all of whom represent their governments. As a transnational organization, however, the UN also often represents a common good that transcends the sum of individual state interests. Such concerns are promoted by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and by the UN's specialized agencies, affiliated organizations, bureaucracy, and office of the secretary- general. In many cases, transnational concerns such as human rights or humanitarian relief conflict with the more traditional intergovernmen- tal ones such as security. When this occurs, the UN is unable to function effectively. This conflict between intergovernmentalism and transnationalism reflects a similar tension within the international system itself. Inter- govemmentalism is certainly the dominant force in world politics, but transnational actors have also achieved increased visibility and influ- ence within the global organization. From this perspective, the UN not only provides a forum for states to resolve their disputes, it also serves as a medium through which state and nonstate actors promote their often competing interests. Thus, the conflict between these forces within the UN can help to illustrate their respective roles in interna- tional politics. In this article I examine this tension and explore what this may mean for the future of global politics. Since this is primarily a concep- tual essay, I do not present original data nor examine specific cases in any detail. Rather my purpose is to identify and explain a phenomenon

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