The course investigates the concept and functions of international organizations in the contemporary world. In its first part it deals with issues common to all international organizations, e.g. the various categories (NGOs, IGOs, peace-keeping, technical, traditional, supranational etc.), structures, membership, establishment, termination, international status, etc. In its second part the course examines in the form of case studies the major international organizations, such as the UN and the other organizations based in Vienna as well as the European Union. Field trips to the Vienna International Center (VIC), which hosts some of the organizations discussed in class, are included in the course.
Prerequisites:
Interest in political and legal affairs connected with international organizations
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
• be familiar with the tasks of the major international organizations in the world, including the UN and the UN Family (IMF, World Bank, WTO, UNIDO, IAEA, etc.), the EU and OPEC
• understand and to legally assess day-to-day cases involving the UN and the other organizations
examined in the course
• form their own opinion on such cases, thus widening their horizon on international affairs
Method of presentation:
Lectures, studies of hand-outs, students’ presentations, discussions, field trips
Required work and form of assessment:
participation in class discussions and students’ presentations (10%), mid-term examination (30%), final examination (30%) and term paper (30%)
content:
1) Common Issues of International Organizations
a) Definition and categories of international organizations
b) IGOs and NGOs and their contemporary role in international relations c) The special position of transnational corporations
d) The history of IGOs and NGOs
e) Establishment of IGOs and NGOs
f) Membership: acquisition and termination
g) Decision making processes and voting systems h) Legal personality
i) Financing
j) Language issues
k) Dissolution
2) Case studies of individual international organizations
a) Universal IGOs: UN, WTO, BANK, IMF, IAEA (history, functions and structure)
b) Regional IGO: the European Union (history, functions, structure and legislative process)
c) Special IGO: the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): history and present role in the oil and gas industry
Required readings:
Articles on individual organizations in: Rudolf Bernhardt (ed.) Encyclopedia of Public International Law, 4 vols. (Amsterdam 1996-2002); hand-outs distributed in class; Derek Bowett, The Law of International Institutions (London, 5th ed. 2000 individual chapters tba.)
Recommended readings:
Peter Fischer, European Law (2nd ed. Zilina 2008); Henry Schermers,
International Institutional Law (4th ed. Alphen an den Ryn 2000).
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Peter Fischer earned the degree Dr. jur. in law in 1962 from the University of Vienna, Austria. In 1977, he became Professor of International and European Law there. The same year he received as the first non-American lawyer the “Certificate of Merit” from the American Society of International Law for his work on international oil concessions. Dr. Fischer worked as a representative of the Holy See (Vatican) in international organizations based in Vienna from 1979 to 1996. After his retirement from Vienna University in 2004 he is currently Full Professor of International Law and European Law at the Bratislava School of Law, he has taught seminars and lectures on International Organizations, International Law, and European Law. He received the Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bratislava in 2007 for his work on international organizations. Current research areas focus on international organizations, in particular on the European Union and international law. Among his more recent publications in English are the textbook “European Law” (2008) and the articles ”Taiwan: The State which is not Allowed to Exist” (2007) and “The International Personality of the European Union” (2007).
International Organizations: Structures and Case Studies
The course investigates the concept and functions of international organizations in the contemporary world. In its first part it deals with issues common to all international organizations, e.g. the various categories (NGOs, IGOs, peace-keeping, technical, traditional, supranational etc.), structures, membership, establishment, termination, international status, etc. In its second part the course examines in the form of case studies the major international organizations, such as the UN and the other organizations based in Vienna as well as the European Union. Field trips to the Vienna International Center (VIC), which hosts some of the organizations discussed in class, are included in the course.
Interest in political and legal affairs connected with international organizations
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
• be familiar with the tasks of the major international organizations in the world, including the UN and the UN Family (IMF, World Bank, WTO, UNIDO, IAEA, etc.), the EU and OPEC
• understand and to legally assess day-to-day cases involving the UN and the other organizations
examined in the course
• form their own opinion on such cases, thus widening their horizon on international affairs
Lectures, studies of hand-outs, students’ presentations, discussions, field trips
participation in class discussions and students’ presentations (10%), mid-term examination (30%), final examination (30%) and term paper (30%)
Articles on individual organizations in: Rudolf Bernhardt (ed.) Encyclopedia of Public International Law, 4 vols. (Amsterdam 1996-2002); hand-outs distributed in class; Derek Bowett, The Law of International Institutions (London, 5th ed. 2000 individual chapters tba.)
Peter Fischer, European Law (2nd ed. Zilina 2008); Henry Schermers,
International Institutional Law (4th ed. Alphen an den Ryn 2000).
Peter Fischer earned the degree Dr. jur. in law in 1962 from the University of Vienna, Austria. In 1977, he became Professor of International and European Law there. The same year he received as the first non-American lawyer the “Certificate of Merit” from the American Society of International Law for his work on international oil concessions. Dr. Fischer worked as a representative of the Holy See (Vatican) in international organizations based in Vienna from 1979 to 1996. After his retirement from Vienna University in 2004 he is currently Full Professor of International Law and European Law at the Bratislava School of Law, he has taught seminars and lectures on International Organizations, International Law, and European Law. He received the Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bratislava in 2007 for his work on international organizations. Current research areas focus on international organizations, in particular on the European Union and international law. Among his more recent publications in English are the textbook “European Law” (2008) and the articles ”Taiwan: The State which is not Allowed to Exist” (2007) and “The International Personality of the European Union” (2007).