George Mason University: Survey of International Organizations in Switzerland

The Survey of International Organizations provides students with the history, functioning, and significance of key international organizations in today’s fast changing global environment. The course examines past achievements and failures of some of the world’s most important economic, political and humanitarian organizations from an interdisciplinary perspective. An understanding of the history of Europe, especially post World War I, the creation of the League of Nations and later, the United Nations, and the stages of European integration, is critical to understanding the challenges facing international organizations, member-states, and civil society today and is contained in our readings, lectures, and discussions. The goal of the course is to equip participants with an understanding of how history, norms, laws, civil and intergovernmental organizations shape the current international system. Analytical tools help students assess both the future role of international organizations in the 21st century and their past and present effectiveness in addressing important global challenges, including global warming, pandemics, poverty, human rights and migration, and conflicts.