International Organizational Anarchy

“As the place of international organizations in world politics seems to be changing, Zamudio and Arellano-Gault have written a sophisticated and engaging book that maps out what is changing as well as what is not. They range widely across themes, organizations, and region to show how organizational features interlace with internal and external politics. This is a book worth having for all scholars of world politics.” —Ian Hurd. Northwestern University. Author of International Organization: Politics, Law, Practice “This is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding International Organizations’ impact and their role in our current international system. Zamudio and Arellano-Gault combine two perspectives that interact exquisitely, providing an excellent document that broadens the knowledge of international relations and organization theory scholars.” —Esther Coronado, Professor of International Law, UNAM, Mexico and International Relations Scholar International organizations are central actors on the global stage, yet their very existence is deeply shaped by their organizational nature. As entities with histories and environments, they navigate complex networks of members and stakeholders—often pursuing conflicting objectives. These organizations must operate, decide, and act amidst unforeseen events and challenges. Far from being abstract entities, international organizations embody all the complexities of organizations in the fullest sense. To survive, they must contend with anarchy: not only within the international system but also within their own structures and decision-making processes. Bridging the gap between Organization Theory and International Relations offers a promising avenue for building the concepts and case studies necessary to understand how organizational anarchy contributes to the creation of international order. Laura Zamudio-González gained her Ph.D. in Social Sciences from Universidad Iberoamericana (2006). She has served as Chair of the International Relations Department at the same university, where she is currently a full professor. David Arellano-Gault gained his Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver (1998). He is a Professor at the Public Administration Department at CIDE (Center for Research and Teaching in Economics) in Mexico City.