Understanding United Nations Collective Security System

The module aims:

1. To provide students with an appreciation of the role performed by the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security.

2. To provide students with a critical understanding of the relationship between the United Nations, states and other international and regional organisations operating in the security sphere.

3. To consider the operation of the United Nations collective security system in relation to contemporary international developments.

After completing the module the student should be able to:

1. Critically evaluate aspects of the United Nations collective security system in operation

2. Demonstrate critical awareness of recent developments in the operation of the United Nations collective security system

3. Demonstrate critical awareness of political factors influencing the activities undertaken by the United Nations

4. Make use of a range of both primary and secondary sources to investigate an issue of interest related to the operation of the United Nations collective security system

You should ensure that you have read some literature detailing what collective security is, as well as an overview of the League of Nations’ experience.

Discussion Questions:

- How would you define ‘collective security’?

- Is ‘collective security’ a workable concept?

- Is collective security a legal or political concept?

- What flaws existed within the Covenant of the League of Nations?

- Was the League of Nations doomed to fail? What successes did it have?+

You should ensure that you have familiarised yourself with the main UN Charter provisions and read some background on the creation of the UN.

Presentation Titles:

1. Explain the process by which the UN Charter was adopted. What were the most problematic issues in this process?

2. Select any three UN Charter provisions which you consider require reform.

Explain how you would want to change these and why.

- What are the main differences in the roles of the Security Council and General Assembly in respect of the maintenance of international peace and security?

- To what extent has the General Assembly come to perform a significant role in the peace and security arena?

- How have the permanent members within the Security Council come to dominate the collective security agenda of the UN?

- Why is Article 39 regarded as a ‘gateway’ provision? How has it been applied in practice?

1. Using relevant examples, explain how the provisions of Chapter VI have been applied in practice. How important/effective have they been?

2. What factors have informed the role which the UN Secretary-General has been able to play in efforts to promote the maintenance or restoration of international peace and security?

3. Evaluate the contribution made to international diplomacy by any two UN Secretaries-General.

- Do the chapter VI powers of the UN Security Council provide much useful guidance upon the promotion of the peaceful settlement of international disputes?

- What are the key UN Charter provisions pertaining to the role of the UN Secretary-General? What is their effect in practice?

- How can we evaluate the relative success of any holder of the office of UN Secretary-General?

- Who do you consider to have been the most and least effective UN Secretaries-General?

Presentation Titles:

1. What are the main forms of non-military sanctions used by the Security Council and what problems have they given rise to?

2. What legal restrictions apply to the application of sanctions by the UN?

3. To what extent has the Security Council moved towards the adoption of ‘smart sanctions’? How effective can these be?

- How do we measure the ‘relative’ success of sanctions?

- Why have sanctions proven ineffective so often?

- Is it possible to restrict the scope of sanctions by reference to norms of international human rights and humanitarian law?

- What are ‘smart sanctions’ and to what extent has the UN moved towards their use?

1. What legal principles govern the deployment of UN peacekeeping operations and how have these evolved in practice?