Leadership and International Organizations

What do intergovernmental organizations like the United Nations, the World Food Program, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees actually do? Do these organizations simply act on the interests of the governments that comprise them? Or do they have some autonomy to pursue their own programs, plans, and priorities? Does leadership of these organizations matter for their performance? What dilemmas do the leaders or intergovernmental organizations face as they try to satisfy governments while serving people in need all over the world? This course will get at these questions through examining the lives, careers and choices of leaders of major international organizations over the last thirty years. Reading assignments will include memoirs and biographies of leaders of international organizations, as well as analytical and empirical studies of international organizations. We plan on inviting former and current leaders of international organizations to visit the seminar.