ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the role of international law and international organizations (IGOs) in global politics. In the absence of a central authority, international law manages violence, as in the just war tradition, and regulates interactions both to protect sovereignty and ensure a stable and orderly global system. The chapter shows that the United Nations (UN) and various regional IGOS also mitigate conflict and facilitate economic, military, and political cooperation among participating states. The UN organs are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Secretariat, the International Court of Justice, and the Economic and Social Council. The end of the Cold War again altered the global landscape, as the United States and Russia began to cooperate on a number of issues. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is the world's largest regional security group with tasks including promoting confidence-building measures among adversaries, pressing for human rights, managing potential crises, and encouraging democratization.
