Has the Concept of International Organisations Failed? And Why Was it Once so Popular?

Join the UCL Institute of Advanced Studies for an IAS Talking Points Seminar with Dr Andreas Weiß. The European Institute's Dr Uta Staiger will act as respondent.
Tuesday 17 October, 6:30pm-8:30pm

The IAS welcomes back Dr Andreas Weiß, former IAS & German Historical Institute London Joint Junior Research Fellow, for this Talking Points Seminar, to which Professor N. Piers Ludlow (Department of International History, LSE) and Dr Uta Staiger (UCL European Institute) will respond.  The aftermath of the Second World War saw the establishment of a series of international organisations and agreements, from Bretton Woods over the EEC to the UN. The Eastern Bloc had Comecon and the so-called Non-Aligned founded their own institutions. And most of these co-operations worked together across political and ideological boundaries.

Two of the, in my eyes, most interesting organisations were the European Communities and ASEAN. Both organisations were founded on a shared historical experience and a shared approach to solve problems. Interestingly, even former imperial powers and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council such as the United Kingdom were interested in both organisations, becoming member of the former in 1973. This paper argues that the reasons for which the UK entered then the Union are still valid but will also ask, why this common approach of problem solving has become so unpopular in recent years.

Respondents: Professor N. Piers Ludlow (Department of International History, LSE) and Dr Uta Staiger (UCL European Institute)

All welcome.  Please register here.