ABSTRACT
This chapter chronicles the ways in which changes in the international system, and especially in the roles of nonstate actors, have been reflected in the works of international organization scholars in general and the concept of multilateralism in particular. Multilateralism is traditionally understood as a dialogue among government representatives who hope to work out common approaches to common concerns. The traditional focus of international organizations was on intergovernmental organizations, understood to be organizations comprising members representing three or more governments. There are theories of international relations, most notably realism and neorealism, which take the position that international institutions have minimal influence on world politics, even in such "low politics" issues as human rights and the economy. The twenty-first century finds the simultaneous resurgence of multilateralism within intergovernmental organizations at the same time that bilateral negotiations and critical multilateral diplomacy are occurring outside of formal intergovernmental organizations.
