In the 21st century, the world is faced with threats of global scale that cannot be confronted without collective action. Although global government as such does not exist, formal and informal institutions, practices, and initiatives—together forming "global governance"—bring a greater measure of predictability, stability, and order to trans-border issues than might be expected. Yet, there are significant gaps between many current global problems and available solutions. Thomas G. Weiss and Ramesh Thakur analyze the UN's role in addressing such knowledge, normative, policy, institutional, and compliance lapses. The UN's relationship to these five global governance gaps is explored through case studies of some of the most burning problems of our age, including terrorism, nuclear proliferation, humanitarian crises, development aid, climate change, human rights, and HIV/AIDS.

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Ramesh Thakur is an expert on arms control, disarmament and international security issues. Currently the Director of the Centre for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament in the Crawford School, Australian National University, he has served as an advisor for governments and international bodies, including the United Nations. He lives in Canberra.

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Weiss and Thakur have managed to perform the difficult trick of producing a work that can function as textbook, scholarly reference, policy guide, and popular reading. . . . Recommended.

Choice

Global Governance and the UN will satisfy those who seek a serious grappling with the ethical aspects of international action to address the world's most pressing challenges. The book argues that the UN's evolution is an "unfinished journey": . . . global governance will continue to evolve, with the UN at the center, in the wake of each global crisis. dec 2011

Ethics and International Affairs