R. Charli Carpenter
Joel Oestreich asks us to think about why and how actors in international organizations sometimes swim against the tide to embed principled ideas in their work. This thought-provoking book shows why neither this process nor its inherent merit can be taken for granted. A must read for students of human rights and of international organizations.
James P. Muldoon Jr.
In Power and Principle, Joel Oestreich tackles an important aspect of intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)—how and why international organizations take up 'principled ideas'—that has not been given sufficient attention in the field of international organizations, providing a rich and detailed analysis of the different forces at work inside and out of today's IGOs. Clear, concise and thoughtful, anyone interested in the changing role and agency of international organizations in contemporary international relations should have this book.
From the Publisher
"In Power and Principle, Joel Oestreich tackles an important aspect of intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)—how and why international organizations take up 'principled ideas'—that has not been given sufficient attention in the field of international organizations, providing a rich and detailed analysis of the different forces at work inside and out of today's IGOs. Clear, concise and thoughtful, anyone interested in the changing role and agency of international organizations in contemporary international relations should have this book."—James P. Muldoon Jr., senior fellow, Division of Global Affairs, Rutgers-Newark
"Power and Principle sets high standards for clarity, effective organization, and graceful writing. Oestreich very ably scrutinizes policy formation within UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank showing the independence of international organizations in pursuing a human rights agenda. The author thereby demonstrates the potential for advancing human rights by relying on solid social science analysis attentive to current standards of research methodology and comparative institutional analysis while unafraid of attending to normative issues."—Richard Pierre Claude, founding editor, Human Rights Quarterly
"Joel Oestreich asks us to think about why and how actors in international organizations sometimes swim against the tide to embed principled ideas in their work. This thought-provoking book shows why neither this process nor its inherent merit can be taken for granted. A must read for students of human rights and of international organizations."—R. Charli Carpenter, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh
Richard Pierre Claude
Power and Principle sets high standards for clarity, effective organization, and graceful writing. Oestreich very ably scrutinizes policy formation within UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank showing the independence of international organizations in pursuing a human rights agenda. The author thereby demonstrates the potential for advancing human rights by relying on solid social science analysis attentive to current standards of research methodology and comparative institutional analysis while unafraid of attending to normative issues.
