Our Book of the Month Choice for December

The SSL ‘Book of the Month’ feature highlights a book in our collection that has been chosen by one of our Subject Consultants. This may be a recent addition to our stock or an existing item that we would like to share with you.

 

Displacement, Development and Climate Change: international organizations moving beyond their mandates

Nina Hall

Routledge, 2016

Shelfmark: QC903.HAL 2016

 

 

 

Our Book of the Month choice for December has been selected by Sarah Rhodes, Subject Consultant for International Development, Forced Migration, African and Commonwealth Studies.

 

 

Why was it chosen?

It was chosen as the effects and issues of climate change are now of global and pressing concern.

Book Overview

This book focuses on one critical challenge: climate change. Climate change is predicted to lead to an increased intensity and frequency of natural disasters. An increase in extreme weather events, global temperatures and higher sea levels may lead to displacement and migration, and will affect many dimensions of the economy and society. Although scholars are examining the complexity and fragmentation of the climate change regime, they have not examined how our existing international development, migration and humanitarian organizations are dealing with climate change.

Focusing on three institutions: the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Development Programme, the book asks: how have these inter-governmental organizations responded to climate change? And are they moving beyond their original mandates, given none were established with a mandate for climate change? It traces their responses to climate change in their rhetoric, policy, structure, operations and overall mandate change. Hall argues that international bureaucrats can play an important role in mandate expansion, often deciding whether and how to expand into a new issue-area and then lobbying states to endorse this expansion. They make changes in rhetoric, policy, structure and operations on the ground, and therefore forge, frame and internalize new issue-linkages.

Reviews:

‘Hall provides a perceptive critique of why and how mandates evolve within international organizations.  Her book is a must-read for all seeking to ensure that our global institutions remain fit for purpose.’

Sam Daws, Director, Project on UN Governance and Reform, Oxford University

‘This book provides fascinating insights into how international development, migration and humanitarian organizations are responding to the challenge of climate change.’

Professor Jane McAdam, Director, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, University of New South Wales.

Where can I find it?

We have one copy, which can be borrowed. It is currently displayed on top of our New Books Display Area (located around the corner from our Library Issue Desk). You are welcome to remove it from the display and borrow it. The shelfmark for the title is  QC903.HAL 2016

We also have an electronic legal deposit copy of the title. Online access for this material is restricted to library computers in any of the Bodleian Libraries. A link to it can be found on SOLO.

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