Kent J. Kille

Simulating the Creation of a New International Human Rights Treaty: Active Learning in the International Studies Classroom

This article details a simulation of formulating a new international human rights treaty designed for an introductory international studies course. Student understanding and interest in a range of international relations topics—including diplomacy, two-level games, international law, human rights, and group decision making—are reinforced by actively engaging the students in policy formulation and state-to-state negotiations. The article is structured around the four key components of active learning approaches—educational objectives, design parameters, procedures, and assessment and debriefing—in order to provide a full understanding of the goals, set-up, process, and advantages of the simulation. The simulation has been successfully run multiple times at both a large state university and a small liberal arts institution. Supportive student feedback and an interesting variety of outcomes indicate that this simulation is a positive addition to the course and reinforces the use of active learning approaches in the international studies classroom.

Executive Heads and the Role of Intergovernmental Organizations: Expansionist Leadership in the United Nations and the European Union

Despite considerable advances in methods to examine leaders’ personal characteristics using at–a–distance assessment, few studies have applied such techniques outside of the national level. This study reveals that such approaches can provide analytical leverage for examining executive heads of intergovernmental organizations (IGOs). The personal characteristics of six United Nations Secretaries–General and four European Union Commission Presidents were measured via content analysis of their responses to questions. Separately, their behavior in office was measured via historical accounts and analyses. In general, executive heads with higher expansionist leadership style scores displayed a greater willingness to try to enhance the status of their organizations.

The Evolvement of International Secretariats, Executive Heads and Leadership in Inter-Organizational Relations

This chapter discusses inter-organizational relations (IORs) from the perspective of the international Secretariat of an International Governmental Organization (IGO) and the organization’s Executive Head. IORs are a long-standing phenomenon that resulted from the evolution of IGOs, the increase in their numbers and the complementarity or overlap of activities and mandates. The chapter follows the evolution of IGOs and their IORs by tracing the place of Secretariats and the leadership role of Executive Heads to discern four developments of IORs in chronological order: the emergence of IGO Secretariats and some early IORs, the League of Nations specialized agency relationship and the leadership role of Executive Heads in IORs, the United Nations (UN) specialized agency relationship and the leadership role of Executive Heads in IORs within and beyond the UN System, and the emergence of so-called ‘country clubs’ (like the G20) and the impact on the previous type of IORs. The focus on Secretariats and their Executive Heads helps to trace and better illustrate IORs and the related dimensions of leadership in conjunction with member-state governments. The IORs discussed show that governments allow IGOs room for maneuver (if needed by lessening control) and permit agency slack, with Executive Heads and their staff serving as vigorous actors in favor of their organizations’ objectives, also with regard to boundary issues. Leadership qualities with regard to both the bureaucracy (mobilizing staff and expertise) and the environment (assessing power relations and acquiring support from a variety of actors) are often decisive for the outcome. The emergence of country clubs has added a new dimension to the networks of IGOs and IORs.

Working With Harold Guetzkow: Reflections From a Last Link in the Chain

In 2001, Harold Guetzkow reached out to Kent Kille, a scholar beginning his academic career, and subsequently helped inspire and support a project that culminated in the publication of the edited volume The UN Secretary-General and Moral Authority: Ethics and Religion in International Leadership. This article recounts the project, which would turn out to be the final research engagement by Guetzkow at the end of a long and storied academic career, and presents impressions from the author of Guetzkow’s ongoing search for knowledge, his supportive mentoring role, and his conscientious commitment to the place of ethics in global affairs.