Scholars

Susan Allee

Brown University [1:32]

Paulo Sergio Pinheiro

Brown University [1:32]

Ricardo Lagos

Brown University [1:04]

Part I: The UN and the International Community

• The UN Takes Shape
• Fundamental Principles of the UN Charter
• The Structure of the UN

Part II: Debating the UN’s Role

• What is your perspective on the structure of the United Nations? [Lagos - 1:30]

Security Council

• Why are there permanent seats in the UN Security Council? [Pinheiro - 1:05]
• Is the UN a democratic organization? [Pinheiro - 1:25]
• What is civil society? [Pinheiro - 0:31]

Peacekeeping

• Is the United Nations an effective peacekeeping body? [Allee - 3:00]
• How do peacekeepers maintain impartiality? [Allee - 2:30]
• What makes peacekeeping in the Middle East challenging? [Allee - 2:32]
• What are examples of successful peacekeeping operations? [Allee - 2:30]
• What are examples of unsuccessful peacekeeping operations? [Allee - 1:52]

Bosnia

• What is ethnic cleansing? [Allee - 0:52]
• What is the difference between genocide and ethnic cleansing? [Allee - 1:08]
• How was the UN involved in Bosnian peacekeeping? [Allee - 1:42]
• What countries had sympathies with different groups in Yugoslavia? [Allee - 1:14]
• How did NATO’s intervention in Bosnia set a precedent? [Allee - 1:23]

East Timor

• When has the UN been successful in alleviating human rights abuses? [Pinheiro - 1:20]

The UN and Human Rights

• What are human rights? [Allee - 2:12]
• What are human rights? [Pinheiro - 1:14]
• Are states today closer or farther apart in their understanding of human rights? [Pinheiro - 1:27]
• How does membership in the UN promote human rights? [Allee - 1:14]
• What is the UN authorized to do when human rights are violated? [Pinheiro - 1:44]
• How can the UN and other international organizations prevent human rights abuses? [Pinheiro - 1:21]
• Why did the UN reform its system of dealing with human rights in 2006? [Pinheiro - 0:56]
• How do other states view the U.S. human rights record? [Pinheiro - 1:54]

Humanitarian Crisis in Darfur, Sudan

• When has the UN been unsuccessful in alleviating human rights abuses? [Pinheiro - 1:01]