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The Changing Global Order pp 299–320Cite as

The United Nations Security Council: History, Current Composition, and Reform Proposals

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Part of the book series: United Nations University Series on Regionalism ((UNSR,volume 17))

Abstract

The chapter explores how the Security Council has reacted to the changing global order in terms of institutional reform and its working methods. First, we look at how the Security Council’s setup looks increasingly anachronistic against the tremendous shifts in global power. Yet, established and rising powers are not disengaging. In contrast, they are turning to the Council to address growing challenges posed by the changing nature of armed conflict, the surge of terrorism and foreign fighters, nuclear proliferation and persistent intra-state conflicts. Then, we explore institutional and political hurdles for Council reform. While various reform models have been suggested, none of them gained the necessary global support. Instead, we demonstrate how the Council has increased the representation of emerging powers in informal ways. Potential candidates for permanent seats and their regional counterparts are committed as elected members, peacekeeping contributors or within the Peacebuilding Commission. Finally, we analyze how innovatively the Council has reacted to global security challenges. This includes working methods reform, expansion of sanctions regimes and involvement of non-state actors. We conclude that even though the Council’s membership has not yet been altered, it has reacted to the changing global order in ways previously unaccounted for.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    http://ucdp.uu.se/

  2. 2.

    See http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/about-security-council-report.php

Further Readings

  • Einsiedel, S. V., Malone, D. M., & Stagno Ugarte, B. (Eds.) (2016). The UN Security Council in the twenty-first century. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers. [Chapters 8 & 38].

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  • Rittberger, V., Zangl, B., & Kruck, A. (2012). International organization (2nd ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Madeleine O. Hosli

  2. University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany

    Thomas Dörfler

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  1. Madeleine O. Hosli
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Correspondence to Madeleine O. Hosli .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Madeleine O. Hosli

  2. Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs, Leiden University, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Joren Selleslaghs

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Hosli, M.O., Dörfler, T. (2020). The United Nations Security Council: History, Current Composition, and Reform Proposals. In: Hosli, M.O., Selleslaghs, J. (eds) The Changing Global Order. United Nations University Series on Regionalism, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21603-0_15

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