The United Nations Security Council: History, Current Composition, and Reform Proposals

Hosli, Madeleine and Dörfler, Thomas (2019). The United Nations Security Council: History, Current Composition, and Reform Proposals. UNU-CRIS Working Papers. UNU Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies.

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  • Sub-type Working paper
    Author Hosli, Madeleine
    Dörfler, Thomas
    Title The United Nations Security Council: History, Current Composition, and Reform Proposals
    Series Title UNU-CRIS Working Papers
    Volume/Issue No. W-2019/2
    Publication Date 2019
    Place of Publication Bruges
    Publisher UNU Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies
    Pages 28
    Language eng
    Abstract The paper explores how the Security Council has reacted to the changing global order in terms of institutional reform and its working methods. First, we look at how the Security Council’s setup looks increasingly anachronistic against the tremendous shifts in global power. Yet, established and rising powers are not disengaging. In contrast, they are turning to the Council to address growing challenges posed by the changing nature of armed conflict, the surge of terrorism and foreign fighters, nuclear proliferation and persistent intra-state conflicts. Then, we explore institutional and political hurdles for Council reform. While various reform models have been suggested, none of them gained the necessary global support. Instead, we demonstrate how the Council has increased the representation of emerging powers in informal ways. Potential candidates for permanent seats and their regional counterparts are committed as elected members, peacekeeping contributors or within the Peacebuilding Commission. Finally, we analyze how innovatively the Council has reacted to global security challenges. This includes working methods reform, expansion of sanctions regimes and involvement of non-state actors. We conclude that even though the Council’s membership has not yet been altered, it has reacted to the changing global order in ways previously unaccounted for.
    Keyword Institutional change
    Security Council
    Security Council reform
    Global order
    Changing nature of armed conflict
    Copyright Holder UNU Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies
    Copyright Year 2019
    Copyright type All rights reserved
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    Created: Tue, 09 Jul 2019, 21:13:31 JST by Masovic, Ajsela on behalf of UNU CRIS