Abstract In this article, the writer discusses the issue of reform for the United Nations Security Council. The writer looks at the world's primary instrument for maintaining international order and peace. Further, the writer discusses various proposals and argues that enlarging the structure of the Security Council would be beneficial.
From the Paper "Inside the United Nations and in both the halls of governments and the popular press, a debate has raged over various proposals to reform the Security Council, to make that organ's membership less exclusive and to improve its capacity to function in response to various crises and issues. As Marianne Hanson commented, the United Nations' Security Council U.N.S.C. remains the world's primary instrument for maintaining international peace and security. Various reform proposals have been put forward reflecting the recognition on the part of ... "
Tags: United Nations, Security Council, international relations.
Abstract This paper examines why there is general agreement around the world that the United Nations Security Council is in thorough need of reform, for it has failed many times to meet its responsibility to prevent regional conflicts. The paper addresses this problem by establishing that these failures have been due primarily to fundamental structural and procedural flaws in the Security Council's composition and methods of debate.
From the Paper The United Nations Security Council: Issues of Reform Part A Introduction There is general agreement around the world that the United Nations Security Council is in thorough need of reform, for it has failed many times to meet its responsibility to prevent regional conflicts. I propose to address this problem by establishing that these failures have been due primarily to fundamental structural and procedural flaws in the Security Council's composition and methods of debate. In the process, I would emphasize that the Council's lack of formal authority to enforce its decisions is another inherent flaw, which compounds its structural and procedural flaws."
Abstract In this article the writer discusses the privy council, supreme court of Canada in relation to social, political and economic currents in Canada. It is argued in this essay that the privy council and the supreme court are influenced by the social, political and economic currents in Canadian society.
From the Paper "The decisions of the Judicious Comity of the Privy Council (JCPC) and the Supreme Court of Canada have always been politically and legally controversial. One of the major issues is whether the JCPC and the Supreme Court of Canada have strictly followed The British North America Act of 1867 (The Canadian Constitution) or whether the judges in the JCPC and the Supreme Court of Canada have made their decisions based on the prevailing social, economic and political currents of the time in Canadian society."
Abstract This paper looks at the Vatican Council II from the years 1962-1965 and examines how its legacy will continue to be debated and will undoubtedly continue to divide the church for decades to come. Vatican Council is the name of two ecumenical councils of the Roman Catholic Church that were held in Vatican City in Rome. An ecumenical council is a meeting of church leaders called by a pope for a special purpose. It looks at how Vatican II has changed the lives of every Catholic and has extended beyond the church itself through such issues as lifting the restriction of saying Mass in Latin.
Outline
Introduction
Background of Council Sessions
First Period
Second Period
Third Period
Fourth Period
Issues
Church
Liturgy
Scripture
Bishops
Documents
Conclusions
From the Paper "The general sessions of the council were held during four successive years, in four periods, from 1962-1965. The First Period, October 11 to December 8, 1962, included the Council Fathers and representatives of 86 governments and international bodies. Bishops decided to first consult among themselves in both national and regional groups, and in informal gatherings, resulting in a reworking of the structure of the council commissions and changing the priority of issues considered, including ?liturgy, mass communications, the Eastern Rite churches, and the nature of revelation.? After adjournment, preparations for the next scheduled session in 1963 began. However, the death of Pope John XXIII on June 3, 1963, brought a slight delay and the council continued its preparation after the election of Pope Paul VI on June 22, 1963. "
An overview of the first world wide event in the history of Christianity, the Council of Nicaea, the reasons for organizing such a council and its outcome.
Abstract This paper explains that the Emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicaea in the hopes that, by doing so a war between the different Christian factions could be averted. The paper explains that the Council brought together all the clergy at once so that they could work out a compromise amongst themselves regarding their religious beliefs. The paper further points out that the Council was not successful in averting the war as the differences between factions were to vast and that, on the contrary, the Council drove a wedge deeper into the two factions, leading to war and civil unrest until the death of Constantius and Emperor Julian ascended the throne.
From the Paper "Controversies in the Christian Church concerning the mystery of the Trinity began in the second century. Previously, there was almost no mention of the word trinity in the scriptures or Christian writings. It did not come into use until the second century when theologians used new metaphysical methods in their attempts to explain the divine nature. The dispute centered around the trinity and whether Christ was God or man or an intermediate being. They also debated whether or not Christ was created."
Abstract This paper reviews the debate over the need for reform of the United Nations (UN) security council. It provides a history of the security council and discusses the proposed reforms. The paper argues that security council reform is both necessary and yet unlikely for the foreseeable future given the conflicting national interests of the current Veto-holding permanent members of the security council.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Origins and Structure of the Security Council The Current Reform Proposals
Two-Track Reform and the Resistance to Change
From the Paper "In general, there exist two tracks or reform paths that are currently being pursued at the international level. The first of these is a proposal by the Group of Four (G4) countries (Japan, Germany, Brazil and India) that would give them, along with two African nations, permanent seats at the Security Council, with three new rotating memberships. This would expand the total membership of the Security Council to 25. The second was the more vague proposal, made by the Secretary Generals Panel of Eminent Persons in 2005, that did not endorse a specific plan but rather two general options for reform: (1) increasing the number of permanent and non-permanent members; or (2) enlarging the Council only with non-permanent members, but whose terms are longer than the current two year limit and who have the capacity to run for re-election (Crook 2005; Forman 2005)."
Tags: G4, secretary, general, policy, international
Abstract This paper discusses how the Council of Chalcedon is known as an ecumenical council held between October 8-November 1, 451 A. D. and how its main objective was to exploit the heresy of Eutyches and establish the orthodox Catholic doctrine. Issues of theology, Christology, and the overall importance of the Council of Chalcedon are developed throughout the context of this paper and the historical importance of the Council of Chalcedon is also explored.
Outline:
Introduction
Canons
First - Sixteenth Session
Historical Background
Importance of the Council of Chalcedon
From the Paper "Although the debate of Christ's dual nature was the primary doctrine being discussed during the Council of Chalcedon, other subjects included the canons, which were numerous, 27 in total. The first of these canons approved the sanction of previous synods. The second canon enacted stiff penalties against anyone who agreed in the ecclesiastical orders or monetary positions, or even anyone who was given payment for these positions or acted as liaisons in such transactions. Following this the third canon harshly judged secular traffic 'to all ecclesiastics' who in the very least did not hold the interest of urchins or those in need. The fourth decreed that it was against papal jurisdiction to build a house of God without the granting of the proper bishop. In the fifth creed inculcated the canons of previous synods in regards to the placement of bishops and clerics in different cities. "
Abstract The decision taken by the Council at Jerusalem was one of the most significant decisions by the early church, thus resulting in the emergence of current Christian doctrine and beliefs. The early church was facing a serious crisis: Could Gentile believers be accepted by God without being circumcised and following the Law of Moses? The paper examines the Council at Jerusalem in its religious and historical aspects, including a review of biblical scriptures that where influential in the council's deliberations and discusses factors contributing to the council's decisions and their impact on the development of Christianity.
Outline:
Introduction
An Historical Perspective
The Use of the Old Testament in Acts 15:16-18
The Result of James's Use of Amos 9:11-12
Conclusion
References
From the Paper "Approximately 4000 years ago, however, God introduced a new phase into his redemptive plan for humanity. In Genesis 12, God called Abram (later Abraham), to leave his homeland, his father's family, and to go the place that God would show him. Abraham obeyed God, taking his household, and traveling to the place that God showed him, where the Abrahamic Covenant was initiated (Genesis 12). Today, therefore, millions of individuals claim Abraham as their spiritual father. He is seen as an important figure within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, who have all based part of their religion on the Abrahamic Covenant and its promises. This is because when God initiated the covenant, he never stated that only Abraham's direct descendents would be blessed. Instead, God established the covenant as the first step of a far larger plan, which would include all nations. This would lead to the all-encompassing covenant of Jesus the Christ, and thus enable the salvation of all those who held on to the covenant promises (Gen. 12:1-3; Abr. 2:8-11; John 8:33, 37, 39; Rom. 9:6-8; Gal. 3:7-9, 26-29)."
Abstract This paper studies studies the main factors which led to the ultimate failure of the Council of Basel in 1449. It looks at how it was
an organisation that gave way to radicalism, its conflict with Eugenius IV and his successor Nicholas V and the loss of support the council suffered in its latter stages. It shows how the radical membership that the Council of Basel contained eventually destroyed it through a dispute that marked the end of the Conciliar movement of the late medieval period.
From the Paper "The Papacy's acquisition of the support of the secular rules in particular The Holy Roman Emperor, was the main factor for the ultimate failure of the Council of Basel. In the early stages of the council both France and the Holy Roman Empire took a neutral stance, and from 1440-45
relations between Eugenius IV and the Empire changed little. However, circumstances changed this stance. Political exigencies in Hungary made friendship with Eugenius IV particularly desirable for the Emperor Frederick III. To gain the Emperors support Eugenius granted Frederick the right to nominate various Papal offices within his state, several benefits and most importantly he paid him a substantial sum of money."
Tags: conciliarism, eugenius, roman, emperor, france, pope
Abstract This paper makes an attempt to trace the history of performance of the United Nations Security Council and purposes for which the veto has been used. It also discusses the various reform proposals and their supposed effectiveness in meeting the objectives of reforms. Finally, the paper presents a blueprint of a proposed reforms package.
Outline
The Main Problems of the Security Council The Past as Prelude
The Reform Proposals
What Dent the Proposed Reforms Can Make-Can they Democratize the Security Council?
A Proposed Blueprint
From the Paper "The reform of the Security Council has been on the international agenda for quite some time. Even by conservative standards, there seems to be an agreement on the existence of certain problems with the Security Council structure. Based on who happened to be on the winning side of the war 60 years ago, it is not representative of United Nations membership and out of key with the United Nations' Charter requirement of "equitable geographical distribution" of seats. It could reasonably be argued that the original 1945 bargain, which conceded privileges to certain nations in return for commitment, has broken down and should be revisited."
Abstract This paper looks at Iran's dealings with the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding Iran's nuclear capacity. The paper discusses the sanctions established by the Security Council because international inspectors were unable to certify that there were no undeclared nuclear activities in Iran or that Iran's motives were entirely peaceful. The paper also shows how it is not easy to simply believe that Iran's nuclear program is "entirely peaceful". The paper is of the opnion that until Iran responds to the questions raised by the latest IAEA report, is transparent with inspectors, and provides the necessary documents and interviews with concerned personnel, the Council is wise to authorize such sanctions upon Iran. The paper includes footnotes in place of a bibliography.
From the Paper "This issue with Iran's nuclear capacity and the seemingly growing problem within the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) began as early as 2002 when during his State of the Union address, Pres. Bush named Iran as part of the "axis of evil" after a few months following close coordination between Iran and the US against the Taliban in Afghanistan. From then on Iran has managed to increase their capability for uranium-enrichment drawing both protests from the UN Security Council and the ire of the IAEA. Iran categorically stated that their nuclear activities are purely for peaceful purposes like electricity generation and water treatment to name a few. The mere fact that information was discovered that Iran camouflaged its nuclear activities for 18 years was in breach of its duties and obligations as a member under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)."
Abstract This paper examines one of the ways in which the Chilean armed forces have continued to exert power and influence in post-dictatorship Chile -through the National Security Council, a quasi-governmental institution given the role of convening to discuss threats to national security. This paper shows how, due to the failures of the council to engage in legitimate national security discourse as well as the symbolic nature of this tool of military intervention, it is in actuality a body that is not conducive to the furthering of unity, stability, and democracy within Chile.
From the Paper "Although the power and influence of the military has been diminished since the end of the Pinochet dictatorship in 1990, the Chilean armed forces nonetheless have managed to maintain a substantial political and civilian role in Chilean society after the transition back to democracy. One of the most important manifestations of this lingering power and influence has been the National Security Council, a near-perfect representation not only of the Chilean military's perpetual political ambitions but also of its fixation upon the notion of ?national security.? The symbolism of this institution has consequently cast the very existence of the National Security Council in the national spotlight, and it has been one of the most debated and controversial issues of contemporary Chilean politics, especially in the current administration of Socialist Ricardo Lagos. The negative consequences of a sustained opportunity for military involvement in civilian and political affairs, even on a seemingly small scale, such as exists with the National Security Council in its present form is not conducive to further democratic growth and unity in Chilean society. What this paper aims to do is identify the importance of the National Security Council in its implications on civilian-military relations, national unity, stability, and democracy, and to explain how it is an obstacle to these principles."
Abstract This paper provides an overview of the Security Council in terms of its structure and objectives. It proceeds to discuss the effect of veto power of the permanent members over the effectiveness of the Security Council in maintaining peace by highlighting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Finally the paper concludes by providing details of solutions being proposed.
Abstract This paper describes a study intended to determine the feasability of hiring support staff to assist city council members with their workload. The paper discusses several aspects of the study, including data collection, cost implications and recommendations. The paper concludes that the reasonable cost of obtaining an employee support staff member for each City Council member is well worth the City's resources sometime in the future.
Table of Contents:
Background
Data Collection
Analysis
Coordination
Cost Implications
Recommendations
Specific Role of Public Policy Analyst
From the Paper "At present, however, it is recommended that two secretaries be hired, one for half of the City Council, and one for the other. Further, it is recommended that two research assistants, or Public Policy Analysts, be hired, one for half of the City Council, and one to perform duties for the other half. This will allow each City Council member to perform their duties and responsibilities at an optimum level and capacity. Each new staff employee would assist the City Council members by alleviating their overwhelming workload, coordinating meetings, performing research on important legal and administrative issues."
Abstract This paper discusses the Council of Federation in Canada and its attempt to address the separatist tendencies and inter-ethnic tensions felt in Canada between the provinces. The paper discusses the aims of the federation and focuses on whether the newly formed Council of the Federation does or does not mean the end of Quebec nationalism or autonomy.
From the Paper "Peach (2004) notes the challenges to the Council of the Federation as a tool for making national policy. He first notes that it is far too early to determine if the Council will be a historic development in public policy in Canada or will be another failure, and he agrees that at first glance, the Founding Agreement for the new Council of the Federation "gives the overwhelming impression of a lack of substance" (p. 1). Some claim that a more cooperative inter-governmental relationship is a positive in itself, while many Canadians "argue that a more cooperative relationship is worthwhile only if it brings about desired improvements in our social and economic policies. The risk is that these will be sacrificed for the sake of achieving intergovernmental Harmony" (p. 1). In truth, though, while this may indeed be a value in itself, unless real policy change is made and unless the people see the process as working more effectively, the approach will be a failure. In Quebec, the inter-governmental approach has not overcome long-lasting antipathies between groups and between levels of government in the past, raising the question of why it would be successful under this form."
