We are:

Our vision is:

What we do:

- we organize seminars and workshops on UN related issues addressing both research and teaching aspects.

- we plan and run joint projects, such as  a Journal on International Organization Studies and writing a textbook on the UN.

- we collaborate and share information via our wiki-portal, which we also use as knowledgebase and networking    platform offers members the possibility to communicate, to share ideas, best practices, expertise and  knowledge, as well as to  formulate common statements, and create and plan projects.   

What we have accomplished:

- We have held a seminar on UN research and teaching, discussing new perspectives on the UN.

- we organized a workshop panel at the ACUNS Annual Meeting on "Institutionalizing UN Studies".

Contact:

The group’s vision is to promote the formation of an interdisciplinary, UN-focused field of studies, and to build a strong UN Studies community that takes UN research and teaching to the next level – “the next generation” of UN Studies.

The project pursues two objectives and strategies for implementation:

1. It aims to provide a unifying idea which could function as the intellectual framework for a future field of UN studies. The ideational basis will be realized by developing a concept of UN Studies including key contents, features, methods and tools.

2. It aims to set in motion a process of institutionalization of the next generation of UN Studies, supported by providing structures for collaboration, communication and knowledgesharing and by realizing concrete projects.

We are open to all interested parties who seek to enter into a dialogue with like-minded UN researchers and practitioners across disciplines, fields, and professions; as well as to all those who wish to engage actively in the community, contributing with ideas, information or projects. With the help of new web technologies, members can share expertise, best practices and knowledge within the group, and beyond.

• Conceptual work at various levels: defining the special need for and working towards a common understanding of UN Studies; elaborating specific contents, features, methods, and/or tools of UN Studies research and teaching; advancing theory-building
• Planning and realizing joint projects such as designing curricula, writing textbooks, etc.
• Providing means of communication and interaction for the international UN Studies community and other interested parties via online portal, journals and conferences
• Facilitating networking and building a knowledge-base on UN-related academic and NGO activities.

Background

The working group on UN Studies was officially launched on June 6th, 2007. Ten ACUNS members attended this initial discussion and talked about their interests and ideas – which ranged from teaching and learning methods to multidisciplinary research; from UN reform to all kinds of governance issues (including internet, humanitarian and environmental governance). Since this meeting, we discuss pertinent questions such as: What defines UN Studies? What do we wish to accomplish? What kind of projects could help us achieve our targets?

Membership.

The working group is open to all UN academics, scholars, practitioners, policy-makers and others around the world who are interested in the project. Notwithstanding our special focus on the younger generation, the group works intergenerational and seeks input and feedback from long-term experts. The group comprises over 25 members today, number rising. Along with its expansion comes a growing diversity in terms of backgrounds and vocations (UN, universities, think tanks, business sector) as well as nationalities (from Asia, Europe and Northern America).

Structure/governance.

The group is co-chaired by the two initiators, Julia Harfensteller and Henrike Paepcke, who are responsible for the general management of the working group - mainly dealing with questions concerning the strategic planning and implementation. They facilitate communication and collaboration among members and orchestrate the various projects, run and organized by members themselves. These projects are expected to have their own structures, procedures and guidelines. Furthermore, the group's advisory board provides ongoing assistance and guidance on issues of strategy, management, process, activities. It is hoped to supplement the group's expertise, by contributing ideas, comments, as well as to support the group's networking, outreach and partnerships efforts.

For a more detailed description of our group's vision, strategies and activities, please see our mission statement.