International Secretariat Research Articles

The Commonwealth and Southern African Decolonization 1949–1994

This article addresses the role of the Commonwealth, a unique post-colonial association, in the protracted process of decolonisation in sub-Saharan Africa. It examines the ways in which Commonwealth leaders sought to use the association to enhance their national diplomacy and policy stance on African self-determination: to pressure the British government to adopt more robust policies such as economic sanctions, and to use Common-wealth meetings as a diplomatic forum to coordinate and publicise their stance on decolonisation to their home constituencies, enhancing their domestic legitimacy. The article also addresses the ways in which the Commonwealth evolved in the process of British disengagement from empire, developing a separate identity, political leadership and an international secretariat; and its place in the global struggle against white minority regimes in Southern Rhodesia, Namibia/South West Africa and South Africa.

‘The Cheering Was Loud and Long’: Practical Feminism and the England Women’s Hockey Tour of Australia in 1927

Australian women’s hockey was the first women’s team sport to establish itself nationally in Australia and the first to play an international match – 1914 against England. In 1925, the All Australia Women’s Hockey Association (AAWHA) invited England to send a team to tour Australia. On October 26, 1926, Mysie Davy, the AAWHA’s international secretary, announced England’s acceptance to tour in 1927 to Sydney’s field hockey community at a fête at the Sydney Town Hall. After Davy’s announcement, it was reported that ‘the cheering was loud and long’. The 1927 English team toured Australia for nine weeks and played 19 matches, including three Test matches against Australia. In studying this tour, there is engagement with the concept of practical feminism introduced by feminist sport scholar Jean Williams in her analysis of the experiences of England’s national women’s field hockey touring teams during the inter-war years. Further, building upon Williams’ work by expanding the practical feminism analysis to cover the opportunities experienced by the English team and a cross-section of Australian women’s field hockey participants, the concept’s application to all levels of field hockey is broadened.

‘Tarzan of the sciences’: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in the communication jungle, CA 1970

In this paper, I discuss how the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences attempted to transform itself from an unofficial government agency into what might be called a scientific public relations organization in the years around 1970. On an organizational level, this transformation manifested in the establishment of new positions at the Academy: an international secretary was hired in 1970 and an information secretary in 1973, both soon followed by their own departments and staff. On a more existential level, it involved redefining its role in Swedish scientific research and administration, in relation to other institutions and to its own past position.

Is Amnesty International Still a Grassroots, Member-Led Organization? An Assessment of Its Democratic Viability

Abstract Amnesty International’s (AI) democratic organizational structure sets it apart from other human rights organizations in terms of member-led governance and policymaking, but professionalization trends and organizational consolidation challenge AI’s founding democratic principles. This article assesses AI’s continued democratic viability by analysing changes to its governance and policymaking procedures at the AI United States section level as well as the AI international secretariat. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis show that AI’s democratic structure remains strong because of what this article calls the leadership-member-volunteer nexus rather than because of rule-based interaction, legitimacy, or path dependence.

Revisiting the Falklands-Malvinas Question: Transnational and Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Revisiting the Falklands-Malvinas Question: Transnational and Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Administering the Administrators: The League of Nations and the Problem of International Territorial Administration in the Saar, 1919–1923

The administration of the industrially important Saar territory, taken from Germany following the First World War, was one of the League of Nations’ most high-profile tasks. As the first instance of international territorial administration undertaken by an international organization, striking the right balance between control and autonomy proved challenging for the League. At the heart of the challenge was the relationship between the Governing Commission which administered the territory on the ground, the Great Power dominated League Council, and the League’s Permanent International Secretariat. This article examines how the patterns and practices of the League’s Saar administration were negotiated between these three entities during its first five formative years, and also points to the tension inherent in the League’s two dominant approaches: public diplomacy and technocratic functionalism.

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Technical Reforms model: Insights from the Global Performance Assessments literature

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is now widely recognised as a leading development policy helping govern the production of oil, gas, and other mined materials. This study builds on recent theoretical work conceptualizing how the EITI might reach its long-term goals of improving natural resource governance and promoting inclusive forms of social and economic development. While existing discussions describe the need to explore how these conceptual models might work within specific national contexts, this paper highlights there is also scope to further understand them from an international perspective by looking at the role of the international EITI secretariat. Drawing on a review of the broader literature dedicated to Global Performance Assessments, it presents an example elaborating on how the international secretariat's country assessments may affect what is known as the Technical Reforms model (a model describing the EITI may help to improve the governance of natural resources by strengthening the regulations that manage them). Overall, this discussion highlights the EITI's country assessments may encourage the adoption of reforms due to the Hawthorne effects and reputational, aspirational, and competitive motivations they can illicit from governing elites.

«ЛЕВАЯ ОППОЗИЦИЯ» В РЕВОЛЮЦИОННОЙ ИСПАНИИ

The division in the international communist movement and the creation of Trotskyism movement coincided with turbulent revolutionary events in Spain, where the left-wing forces were building up their forces. As in many other countries, the split of the communists was reflected in do-mestic politics, one of the aspects of which was the confrontation and extreme hostility of the two currents in world communism. The Span-ish question and the situation in Spanish Trotskyism had a significant impact on the process of forming the doctrine of Trotskyism, primarily in the issue of electoral unions, attitudes towards the Popular Front, and the tasks of the communists in the democratic revolution. This work highlights the process of the formation of the Trotskyist move-ment in Spain, the influence and role in this process of the International Secretariat of Trotskyism, internal splits in the movement, the partici-pation of Spanish Trotskyism in the revolutionary movement.

International Secretariat (Trotskyists) and the Formation of the Trotskyist Movement in Latin America

International Secretariat (Trotskyists) and the Formation of the Trotskyist Movement in Latin America

Slavic Swimming Championships in the Years 1927–1929

In Czechoslovak swimming circles, swimming clubs were often criticized for having active sports contacts with many countries, especially Germany, Austria, Hungary, France, Sweden, England, but completely forgot about Slavic nations such as Poland and Yugoslavia. The reason could be found mainly in the fact that swimming in the Slavic countries developed only after the war. There were also financial reasons and greater distances between the states. After the successful European Championships in Budapest in 1926, when it turned out that the swimmers of the Slavic nations were able to compete in Europe, the International Secretary of ČSAPS, Eng. Hauptmann proposed to the South Slavic and Polish Swimming Associations to hold the swimmers’ championships of these nations. The proposal was adopted unanimously with great enthusiasm. This resulted in a convention, signed by the leading officials of the Yugoslavian, Polish and Czechoslovak Associations, in which all participating associations undertook to host the Slavic Championships in three consecutive years: in 1927 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in 1928 in Prague, Czechoslovakia, and 1929 in Warsaw, Poland. According to this convention, the Slavonic Championships were held with a full Olympic program according to the FINA regulations.

Features of financing NATO's armed forces

The aim of the article is to investigate the peculiarities of financing NATO's armed forces. The following methods were used in the study process: comparative analysis method, correlation analysis, content analysis. The current state of defense financing in the world and in NATO countries has been clarified. Sources of funding for civilian and military budgets and NATO security investment programs are highlighted. The civilian budget covers staff costs, operational costs, capital expenditures and expenses for the International Secretariat's programs at NATO Headquarters. The military budget covers the costs of operating and maintaining the structure of NATO military management bodies. The procedure for the payment of direct and indirect contributions to NATO content by the Allies is disclosed. The tasks of the bodies responsible for financial control over the formation and use of NATO finances are described: the North Atlantic Council, the Resource Policy and Planning Council, the Budget Committee, the Investment Committee, the NATO Independent International Audit Board. Shares of financing of civilian and military budgets, as well as NATO programs by NATO member countries, the ratio of defense expenditures to GDP in NATO countries, the share of capital expenditures in the structure of defense expenditures of NATO countries are analyzed. The volumes and structure of defense financing expenditures in Ukraine are compared with NATO countries. It is revealed that during 2014-2018 Ukraine significantly increased the amount of defense financing, at the same time the share of capital expenditures in the structure of defense spending in Ukraine remains insignificant. It is proposed to increase the share of expenditures on military investments and innovations, purchase of armaments and military equipment, construction of military facilities and, at the same time, limit the share of current expenditures on the maintenance of the armed forces.

Editor's Note

Editor's Note

“I Am Afraid Americans Cannot Understand”: The Congress for Cultural Freedom in France and Italy, 1950–1957

This article examines the nature and significance of the activities carried out in France and Italy by the Congress for Cultural Freedom (CCF), an international organization that was secretly funded by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to support anti-Communist intellectuals, including those on the left end of the political spectrum. These two West European countries, with their large and politically influential Communist parties, were central to the CCF's work in Europe. The organization's task was complicated by domestic concerns and traditions that forced local intellectuals to stress their autonomy from the CCF International Secretariat and its U.S. patrons. The article uses the cultural Cold War and the competing interpretations of anti-Communism and cultural freedom within the CCF as a lens to explore the limits of U.S. influence and persuasion among the intellectual classes of Europe. By repeatedly asserting their independence and agency, the French and Italian members of the CCF helped redefine the character and limits of U.S. cultural diplomacy.

Evaluating progestogens for prevention of preterm birth international collaborative (EPPPIC) individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis: protocol

BackgroundPreterm birth is the most common cause of death and harm to newborn babies. Babies that are born early may have difficulties at birth and experience health problems during early childhood. Despite extensive study, there is still uncertainty about the effectiveness of progestogen (medications that are similar to the natural hormone progesterone) in preventing or delaying preterm birth, and in improving birth outcomes. The Evaluating Progestogen for Prevention of Preterm birth International Collaborative (EPPPIC) project aims to reduce uncertainty about the specific conditions in which progestogen may (or may not) be effective in preventing or delaying preterm birth and improving birth outcomes.MethodsThe design of the study involves international collaborative individual participant data meta-analysis comprising systematic review, re-analysis, and synthesis of trial datasets.Inclusion criteria are as follows: randomized controlled trials comparing progestogen versus placebo or non-intervention, or comparing different types of progestogen, in asymptomatic women at risk of preterm birth. Main outcomes are as follows; fetal/infant death, preterm birth or fetal death (<=37 weeks, <=34 weeks, <= 28 weeks), serious neonatal complications or fetal/infant death, neurosensory disability (measured at 18 months or later) or infant/child death, important maternal morbidity, or maternal death. In statistical methods, IPD will be synthesized across trials using meta-analysis. Both ‘two-stage’ models (where effect estimates are calculated for each trial and subsequently pooled in a meta-analysis) and ‘one-stage’ models (where all IPD from all trials are analyzed in one step, while accounting for the clustering of participants within trials) will be used. If sufficient suitable data are available, a network meta-analysis will compare all types of progesterone and routes of administration extending the one-stage models to include multiple treatment arms.DiscussionEPPPIC is an international collaborative project being conducted by the forming EPPPIC group, which includes trial investigators, an international secretariat, and the research project team. Results, which are intended to contribute to improvements in maternal and child health, are expected to be publicly available in mid 2018.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42017068299

Corruption and civic space: Contextual factors influencing EITI compliance

Market and government failures led to the formation of multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) as an alternative governance structure. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is one of these. The impact assessments of EITI yield mixed results. The variation in impact may be attributed to the difference in compliance with the EITI Standard. The authors implemented an ordered logit regression analysis to analyze the relationship between contextual factors and countries’ level of EITI compliance. The authors used the 2013–2015 World Governance Indicators (WGIs) to represent the state of governance in member countries. The EITI International Secretariat’s quarterly assessment of countries’ compliance with the EITI safeguard requirements was used as a proxy for EITI compliance. The authors found statistically significant positive relationship between perception of political freedom and compliance with the safeguard requirements. This finding supports the importance of civic space in making MSIs effective. The authors also found that states that are perceived to be more corrupt, ineffective and has weak rule of law are more likely to comply with the EITI requirements. The findings on freedom and corruption are consistent across models. Countries maybe complying with EITI to improve their reputation and benefit from incentives a compliance status in EITI bring.

Update on the Standard Template to Collect Data on Government Revenues from Natural Resources

The paper presents an update on the status of the standard template to collect data on government revenues from natural resources, originally presented to the Executive Board in January 2014. The paper discusses: (i) the field-testing of the standard template in six countries, which confirmed the feasibility of applying it more broadly; (ii) the final version of the template based on outcomes of consultation with the international community and the field-testing visits; and (iii) the adoption of the template by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) International Secretariat as a mandatory reporting requirement for its member countries. The standard template serves as a companion to the Guide to Analyze Natural Resources in the National Accounts. The standard template was developed to support fiscal policy formulation and analysis in resource-rich economies, which constitute about one third of the Fund’s membership. The standard template is based on the revenue classification of the Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014, thereby facilitating the collection of resource revenue data in methodologically sound, analytically relevant, and cross-country comparable format.

Digesting the League of Nations

This article examines the administrative debates on the structure of the post-war international order that took place during the Second World War. By focusing on a multinational study group composed of former high ranking League of Nations civil servants affiliated with the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House, it elucidates the activities of international civil servants after they left the League. It is shown how the group claimed to represent the experiences of the international secretariat of the League of Nations on a comprehensive scale by publishing a report on the evaluation of the League’s secretariat. An examination of the report investigates how the group defended the League of Nations and their own participation in the League.

UK must stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia in light of bombings of Yemeni health facilities, says charity.

The charity Medact has called on the UK international trade secretary, Liam Fox, to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia to prevent further bombing of healthcare facilities in the conflict in Yemen. Fox, who studied medicine in Glasgow and worked as a GP in Buckinghamshire before entering politics, is now responsible for licensing arms sales in his ministerial role. Campaigners from Medact, a charity for health professionals focused on global health improvement, and other doctors and health professionals have appealed to Fox as a doctor to think of the health of Yemeni people, the brutal attacks on clinicians, and his duty to “first do no harm.” They cited evidence that British arms were being used to …

Panel discussion led by invited experts : Towards effective protection for whistleblowers ; making whistleblowing work with and beyond the Council of Europe Recommendation on the Protection of whistleblowers. How could Fran

The cultural context, the steps to our bill, the principles and news by Nicole-Marie Meyer Anti-corruption expert for Transparency International (international secretary), Project manager for Transparency International France Transparency International is the global civil society organization leading the fight against corruption. Transparency International global campaign aims to strengthen whistleblowers rights for employees and promote whistleblowing as an effective means to expose and fig...

Digesting the League of Nations: Planning the International Secretariat of the Future, 1941–1944

AbstractThis article examines the administrative debates on the structure of the post-war international order that took place during the Second World War. By focusing on a multinational study group composed of former high ranking League of Nations civil servants affiliated with the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House, it elucidates the activities of international civil servants after they left the League. It is shown how the group claimed to represent the experiences of the international secretariat of the League of Nations on a comprehensive scale by publishing a report on the evaluation of the League’s secretariat. An examination of the report investigates how the group defended the League of Nations and their own participation in the League.