Global Participatory Democracy through a UN World Citizens’ Initiative? Mapping the Theoretical and Institutional Terrain

Murphy, Ben L ORCID: 0000-0002-5832-5444 and Organ, James ORCID: 0000-0002-3056-6000 (2023) Global Participatory Democracy through a UN World Citizens’ Initiative? Mapping the Theoretical and Institutional Terrain. German Law Journal, 24 (7). pp. 1079-1098.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/glj.2023.78

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The burgeoning literature on the democratic deficit of international organizations, and the United Nations in particular, has, for the most part, inherited a pervasive state-centrism commonly associated with conventional approaches to international law more generally. While this approach is understandable, it appears incompatible with a holistic account of democracy, especially accounts that seek to situate the locus of power within the <jats:italic>individual</jats:italic>. Drawing on attempts to empower individual citizens to influence global governance decision-making in other contexts—especially the experience of the European Citizens’ Initiative—this Article considers a bold idea: The establishment of a “World Citizens’ Initiative,” through which individuals could directly influence the agenda of the primary organs of the United Nations. This Article critically analyzes the legal feasibility of such an initiative and the challenges of implementation. In doing so, it offers both a theoretical and institutional contribution to the debate about the normative case for the democratization of global governance through effective citizen participation.</jats:p>

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Law and Social Justice
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	13 Oct 2023 16:01
Last Modified:	17 Mar 2024 18:39
DOI:	10.1017/glj.2023.78
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3173697