Group Politics in UN Multilateralism provides a new perspective on diplomacy and negotiations at the United Nations. Very few states ‘act individually’ at the UN; instead they often work within groups such as the Africa Group, the European Union or the Arab League. States use groups to put forward principled positions in an attempt to influence a wider audience and thus legitimize desired outcomes. Yet the volume also shows that groups are not static: new groups emerge in multilateral negotiations on issues such as climate, security and human rights. At any given moment, UN multilateralism is shaped by long-standing group dynamics as well as shifting, ad-hoc groupings. These intergroup dynamics are key to understanding diplomatic practice at the UN.
Karen E. Smith, PhD (1996), London School of Economics and Political Science, is Professor of International Relations at that university. She has published extensively on EU foreign relations, EU human rights policy, and EU-UN relations.
Katie Verlin Laatikainen, Ph.D. (1996), is Professor of Political Science at Adelphi University. Her publications include The Routledge Handbook on the European Union and International Institutions (2013) and The European Union and the United Nations: Intersecting Multilateralisms (Palgrave 2006).
Abbreviations List of Figures and Tables Notes on Contributors
Part 1: Introduction to Group Politics
1 Introduction: Group Politics in UN Multilateralism Katie Verlin Laatikainen and Karen E. Smith
2 Group Politics at the UN: Conceptual Considerations Katie Verlin Laatikainen
Part 2: Regional and Political Groups in UN Diplomacy
3 The European Union Karen E. Smith
4 Latin American Cooperation at the United Nations: Exploring the Role of GRULAC, CARICOM and ALBA Andrea Ribeiro Hoffmann
5 The African Union in the United Nations Nandi Makubalo, Madeleine O. Hosli, and Michaël Lantmeeters
6 The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League Elisabeth Johansson-Nogués
7 ASEAN as an Actor in the United Nations: How Cohesive Is It? Jürgen Rüland
8 The Alliance of Small Island States at the UN: the Promise and Pitfalls of Single-Issue Groups in Multilateral Negotiations Katie Laatikainen
Part 3: Group Politics in UN Multilateral Diplomacy
9 Gender Equality and Sexual Orientation Discrimination Karen E. Smith
10 Group Dynamics and Interplay in UN Disarmament Forums Megan Dee
11 Negotiating the Responsibility to Protect in the UN System Alex Bellamy
12 Discussing Global Health and Access to Medicines in the UN System: the Case of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) Andrea Ribeiro Hoffmann and Jana Tabak
13 Negotiating the Sustainable Development Goals Mary Farrell
14 Group Interaction in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Lisanne Groen
15 Group Politics and the Question of Palestinian Recognition in the UN System Elisabeth Johansson-Nogués
16 Conclusion: “The Only Sin at the UN is Being Isolated” Katie Verlin Laatikainen and Karen E. Smith
Index
The book should appeal to scholars, students and practitioners interested in the United Nations, global governance, multilateralism, regional organisations and the issues covered in it (climate change, nuclear weapons, etc).