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Public Opinion on Institutional Designs for the United Nations : An International Survey Experiment

Ghassim, Farsan LU ; Koenig-Archibugi, Mathias and Cabrera, Luis (2022) In International Studies Quarterly 66(3).
Abstract

Scholars and policy makers have intensely debated institutional reforms of the United Nations (UN) since its creation. Yet, relatively little attention has been given to institutional design preferences among the public in UN member states. This study examines two questions: Which possible rules concerning UN authority and representation do citizens prefer? Which personal and country characteristics are associated with their varying institutional preferences? A population-based conjoint survey experiment conducted in Argentina, China, India, Russia, Spain, and the United States is used to identify public preferences on nine distinct institutional design dimensions figuring prominently in UN reform debates. We find widespread support for... (More)

Scholars and policy makers have intensely debated institutional reforms of the United Nations (UN) since its creation. Yet, relatively little attention has been given to institutional design preferences among the public in UN member states. This study examines two questions: Which possible rules concerning UN authority and representation do citizens prefer? Which personal and country characteristics are associated with their varying institutional preferences? A population-based conjoint survey experiment conducted in Argentina, China, India, Russia, Spain, and the United States is used to identify public preferences on nine distinct institutional design dimensions figuring prominently in UN reform debates. We find widespread support for increasing or at least maintaining UN authority over member states and for handing control over its decision-making to UN organs that would represent the citizens of every member state more directly. Citizens' institutional preferences are associated with their political values and vary depending on whether their home countries would gain or lose influence from a specific reform.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
International Studies Quarterly
volume
66
issue
3
article number
sqac027
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85131762118
ISSN
0020-8833
DOI
10.1093/isq/sqac027
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a6204679-b30d-454a-8e4b-fcc64e8ebeb3
date added to LUP
2022-12-29 11:01:20
date last changed
2022-12-29 11:01:20
@article{a6204679-b30d-454a-8e4b-fcc64e8ebeb3,
  abstract     = {{<p>Scholars and policy makers have intensely debated institutional reforms of the United Nations (UN) since its creation. Yet, relatively little attention has been given to institutional design preferences among the public in UN member states. This study examines two questions: Which possible rules concerning UN authority and representation do citizens prefer? Which personal and country characteristics are associated with their varying institutional preferences? A population-based conjoint survey experiment conducted in Argentina, China, India, Russia, Spain, and the United States is used to identify public preferences on nine distinct institutional design dimensions figuring prominently in UN reform debates. We find widespread support for increasing or at least maintaining UN authority over member states and for handing control over its decision-making to UN organs that would represent the citizens of every member state more directly. Citizens' institutional preferences are associated with their political values and vary depending on whether their home countries would gain or lose influence from a specific reform.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ghassim, Farsan and Koenig-Archibugi, Mathias and Cabrera, Luis}},
  issn         = {{0020-8833}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{International Studies Quarterly}},
  title        = {{Public Opinion on Institutional Designs for the United Nations : An International Survey Experiment}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/isq/sqac027}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/isq/sqac027}},
  volume       = {{66}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}