In an increasingly complex and interdependent world, international organizations are vital components of global governance and arenas for cooperation and norm-building and standard setting. At the same time, they accumulate and provide knowledge and expertise and act as implementing agents in areas ranging from sustainable development over security and beyond. The Handbook of International Organizations offers both a conceptual introduction to academic debates and a broad overview of the goals, tasks and effectiveness of global, regional and issue-specific international organizations. Expanding the scope of the first volume substantively, the book now includes chapters on XXX international organizations.

Chapters in the first part discuss international organizations in relation to theoretical debates in the study of International Relations and the current global context. In the second, lexical part, chapters outline the evolution, operations and current challenges of individual international organizations and provide sources for further research.

Students of International Relations and related fields will find a reliable source to consult for seminal information and current trends in international organizations research.