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Once described by Trygve Lie as the "most impossible job on earth,"
the position of UN Secretary-General is as frustratingly
constrained as it is prestigious. The Secretary-General's ability
to influence global affairs often depends on how the international
community regards his moral authority. In relation to such moral
authority, past office-holders have drawn on their own ethics and
religious backgrounds - as diverse as Lutheranism, Catholicism,
Buddhism, and Coptic Christianity - to guide the role that they
played in addressing the UN's goals in the international arena,
such as the maintenance of international peace and security and the
promotion of human rights. In "The UN Secretary-General and Moral
Authority", contributors provide case studies of all seven former
secretaries-general, establishing a much-needed comparative survey
of each office-holder's personal religious and moral values. From
Trygve Lie's forbearance during the UN's turbulent formative years
to the Nobel committee's awarding Kofi Annan and the United Nations
the prize for peace in 2001, the case studies all follow the same
format, first detailing the environmental and experiential factors
that forged these men's ethical frameworks, then analyzing how
their "inner code" engaged with the duties of office and the global
events particular to their terms. Balanced and unbiased in its
approach, this study provides valuable insight into how religious
and moral leadership functions in the realm of international
relations, and how the promotion of ethical values works to diffuse
international tensions and improve the quality of human life around
the world.
This key resource for anyone interested in the United Nations,
global issues, or world politics provides accessible and
comprehensive coverage of the history, growth, and development of
ideas and institutions governing the globe. The United Nations has
been an essential actor in world politics for 75 years. Its
entities have eliminated smallpox, protected the ozone layer,
promoted arms control, and helped to save the lives of over 90
million children. Yet, it is frequently criticized as ineffective
and antiquated. This book provides a balanced and systematic
overview of the UN's contributions and challenges, highlighting
areas where it plays an essential role in global governance as well
as areas of redundancy and needed reform. This book provides
readers with a clear, well-organized reference resource to the
entire UN system-its principal organs, specialized agencies,
programs and funds, and key issues of engagement. Through
individual entries, it examines the history of UN engagement,
ranging from peace and security to migration and climate change. It
moves beyond a simple description of UN entities as it assesses the
development of ideas (such as that of sustainable development), as
well as responses to changes in world politics. Finally, it
presents both the significant successes of UN work and continued
challenges. Meticulously researched, accessible entries written by
two prominent UN scholars Entries on both successes and continued
challenges of the UN system Primary source documents key to the
founding of the UN
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