The course discusses principles, concepts, commonality and distinction between two broad types of development agent; state and non-state actors, in their attempts to ‘institutionalize’ cooperation at the international level. With the focus on intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations (IOs and INGOs), students will explore their historical origins, ostensible functions and the roles in global politics and development, as well as external and internal political factors that impact their operations and effectiveness.

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1004221: International Organizations and International NGOs
Academic Year 1/2015: 24 August – 19 December 2015
School of Social Innovation
Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai Thailand
COURSE SYLLABUS
Time: Friday 12:00 – 14:50
Location: C5: Room 415
Class website: MFU E-learning system, Google Classroom, Facebook Page
Lecturer: Ajarn Chirada Na Suwan
Office Hours: Wednesday-Friday 09:00 – 11:00 or by appointment
Contact info: chirada.na@mfu.ac.th Academia.edu: Chirada Fang NaSuwan
Phone: 053-916676
Online Page: Class Facebook group (Soc-In IOs and INGOs Group)
COURSE OVERVIEW
The course discusses principles, concepts, commonality and distinction between two
broad types of development agent; state and non-state actors, in their attempts to
‘institutionalize’ cooperation at the international level. With the focus on
intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations (IOs and INGOs), students will
explore their historical origins, ostensible functions and the roles in global politics and
development, as well as external and internal political factors that impact their
operations and effectiveness.
Students will be introduced to some overarching theoretical and methodological issues
relevant to IOs and INGOs. It will provide them with a core set of analytical tools to
apply to the study of specific IOs and INGOs. In regards to IOs, various theoretical
approaches will be discussed including liberal, realist, bureaucratic, and constructivist.
Moving from state-centric paradigm to account for the importance of INGO, the class
will explore multiple strands of theory and empirical research on the following
paradigms; global governance, international regimes, transnationalism, pluralism, and
collective social action apart from the basic understanding about NGO’s organization
structure.
Examining specific IOs, the class begins with Multilateral Institutions; the one with
general purpose (the United Nations) and the ones with narrow/specific mandates (the
ILO and the ICJ). The class then turns to the International Financial Institutions (the
IMF, the World Bank and ADB) before considering international trade organizations
(the GATT/WTO). Given the focus on regional perspectives, the class also covers IOs
dealing with Europe (NATO, EU) and ASEAN. Students will have opportunities to
explore the work of INGOs based on their interests especially the ones that operate in
Southeast Asia (Oxfam, International Rescue Committee, CARE International, Save
the Children, World Vision International, 350.org, International River, MercyCorps,
The Wikimedia Foundation).

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TEACHING APPROACH
Given the lecturer’s teaching experience, students learn best by actively participating
in the teaching-learning process. The course will be conducted as a seminar –
encouraging discussion and active participation of students with introductory lectures
and excerpts from documentary or other media relevant to the week’s topic. At least
one hour of each class will be devoted to critical thinking exercises, group
presentation or debate-related activities on the thematic focus of the selected
organizations.
POLICIES
Class attendance: Attendance will be checked regularly by in-class assignments or
quizzes. There are no exceptions to the attendance requirement; however, exceptions
may be granted for a catastrophic event or illness with documentation
Email and Class communication: The lecturer will periodically communicate with
students through the MFU E-learning system/ Google Classroom; therefore, students
are responsible for checking their assigned e-learning account on course webpage
regularly. Additionally, students may communicate with the lecturer and peers
through email and social media such as Facebook group.
Mobile/electronic devices: Students are expected to be respectable to the lecturer and
peers by maintaining conducive learning environment. Mobile phones and other
electronic devices must be turned off or set in Airplane mode. Text messaging,
emailing, and surfing the web are prohibited in class unless as part of classroom
activities or during e-Quiz session.
Late Assignments: Group/Individual Assignments submitted via online tools/emails
after stated deadlines will be counted as late. Turning in the work late will result in no
grade for such assignment.
Make-Up Exams: Make-up exams will only be allowed under emergency
circumstances with proper documentation.
On-line Facilities:
Student can access MFU e-learning platform for materials provided in class, or the
Facebook Page: (Soc-In IOs and INGOs Group) and Google Classroom for required
readings and other course materials, as well as updates from the instructor throughout
the semester.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
The key to success in this course is your own responsibility. Meaningful participation
in every session will contribute to quality classroom discussion for all and your own
learning process. The purposes of classroom discussion and reading assignments are
to enhance your understanding about the theories, centralized versus decentralized
mechanisms of allocation, politico-economic and social factors that determine the
interaction between powerful members, domestic politics and norms in international
politics – thus the political economy of international organizations. Students are

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encouraged to think critically about the constellation of IOs and INGOs, the interests,
institutions, and information of actors in an international context.
Classroom Participation 20%
a) Quizzes 10%
b) Anticipating discussion 10%
Midterm Exam 30%
Group presentation 20%
Final Exam 30%
TOTAL 100%
REQUIRED TEXTS
Hurd, Ian. (2014). International Organizations: Politics, Law, Practice. New
York: Cambridge University Press.
COURSE OUTLINE
Week Topic Reading & Class activities
Wk: 1
28 August
2015
Course Overview and Introduction
- Class management, syllabus
review and learning methodology
- Pre-Test: Financing development
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Writing Sample on Syllabus
• Review 8 Books
• Pre-Test Questionnaires
Wk: 2
4 September
2015
Introduction to International
Organizations
- Typology of development actors
on various basis
- What are the roles of IOs in global
politics and development?
- The rise of non-state actors in
global governance
• PowerPoint Presentation
• In-class reading: Hurd (2014)
Chapter 1 (pg. 1-15)
• Introduction to critical thinking
for classroom discussion
Wk: 3
11 September
2015
Theories and Methods relevant to
IOs and INGOs
- IOs and international theory
- INGOs and the global paradigms
• Lecture, Presentation
• In-class reading: Hurd (2014)
Chapter 2 (pg. 15-40)
• Video Clips
• Quiz
Wk: 4
18 September
2015
Multilateral institutions (I)
- The United Nations: law and
administration
- UN in Southeast Asia
• Lecture, Presentation
• In-class reading: Hurd (2014)
Chapter 5-6 (pg. 101-162)
• Video Clips
Wk: 5
25 September
2015
Multilateral institutions (II)
- The ILO and the ICJ
- IOs in Southeast Asia
• Lecture, Presentation
• In-class reading: Hurd (2014)
Chapter 7-8 (pg. 165-213)
• Group presentation
Wk: 6
2 October
2015
Relationships between IOs and
INGOs
- Dilemma faced by NGOs
- The case of INGOs in cooperation
with the UN agencies
• Lecture, Presentation
• Group activities

4. 4
Wk: 7
9 October
2015
Regional Organizations
- NATO and the EU
- AU, ASEAN
• Lecture, Presentation
• In-class reading: Hurd (2014)
Chapter 10 (pg. 251-280)
• Quiz
Wk: 8
16 October
2015
INGOs with regional presence
- Challenges and Opportunities in
the regional context
- The case of INGOs in Asia/SEA
• Lecture, Presentation
• Group activities
• Quiz
Wk: 9
23 October
2015
Review for Mid-term Exam
Wk: 10
(26-30
October 2015)
Mid-term Examination
Tuesday 27 October 2015 @09:00 -
12:00 อาคาร - ห้อง TDS
Wk: 11
6 November
2015
Understanding International Trade
- History of international trade
- The World Trade Organization
- Free Trade, WTO, MNCs
• Lecture, Presentation
• Group activities on lead
reading: Hurd (2014) Chapter
3 (pg. 41-68)
• Discussion
Wk: 12
13 November
2015
Financing Development (I)
- International Financial Institutions
(IFIs): The Case of International
Monetary Fund (IMF), the World
Bank (WB)
• Lecture, Presentation
• Group activities on lead
reading: Hurd (2014) Chapter
4 (pg. 71-101)
• Quiz
Wk: 13
20 November
2015
Financing Development (II)
- The Asian Development Bank
(ADB)
- INGOs and Funding dilemma
• Lecture, Presentation
• In-class reading: NGOs and
Fundraising: Dilemma or
Opportunity?
• Quiz
Wk: 14
27 November
2015
Group Presentation (A)
- Oxfam, International Rescue
Committee, CARE International,
Save the Children
9-10 people / group
Wk: 15
4 December
2015
Group Presentation (B)
- 350.org, International River,
MercyCorps, The Wikimedia
Foundation, World Vision
International
9-10 people / group
Wk: 16
11 December
2015
Review for Final Exam
Wk: 17
(14-18
December
2015)
Final Examination
Wednesday 16 December 2015
@13:30-16:30 อาคาร - ห้อง TDS