Thomas G. Weiss (born 1946) is a distinguished international diplomat and scholar of

international relations International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such as ...

and

global governance Global governance refers to institutions that coordinate the behavior of transnational actors, facilitate cooperation, resolve disputes, and alleviate collective action problems. Global governance broadly entails making, monitoring, and enfor ...

with special expertise in the politics of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

, where he himself served in various high-ranking roles. He was named a 2016 Andrew Carnegie Fellow for a project exploring the concept of a world without the United Nations. Since 1998, he has been Presidential Professor at the

Graduate Center The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York (CUNY Graduate Center) is a public research institution and post-graduate university in New York City. Serving as the principal doctorate-granting institution of the C ...

of the

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...

, and is Director Emeritus of the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies. At present, he also is Co-Chair, Cultural Heritage at Risk Project,

J. Paul Getty Trust The J. Paul Getty Trust is the world's wealthiest art institution, with an estimated endowment of US$7.7 billion in 2020. Based in Los Angeles, California, it operates the J. Paul Getty Museum, which has two locations—the Getty Center in the ...

; Distinguished Fellow, Global Governance, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Global Eminence Scholar,

Kyung Hee University Kyung Hee University (abbreviated to KHU) (Hangul: 경희대학교; Hanja: 慶熙大學校) is a private research university in South Korea with campuses in Seoul and Suwon. Founded in 1949, it is widely regarded as one of the best universities i ...

, Seoul. In his spare time, he is a wood sculptor. He is "one of the leading experts on the theory and practice of

humanitarian intervention Humanitarian intervention is the use or threat of military force by a state (or states) across borders with the intent of ending severe and widespread human rights violations in a state which has not given permission for the use of force. Humani ...

," and is recognized as an authority on

international organization An international organization or international organisation (see spelling differences), also known as an intergovernmental organization or an international institution, is a stable set of norms and rules meant to govern the behavior of states an ...

s and the UN system. Weiss adheres to the constructivist school, and advocates a position for intergovernmental organizations that goes beyond the

anarchy Anarchy is a society without a government. It may also refer to a society or group of people that entirely rejects a set hierarchy. ''Anarchy'' was first used in English in 1539, meaning "an absence of government". Pierre-Joseph Proudhon adopted ...

of inter-state relations. He initiated the UN Intellectual History Project in 1999 to trace the origins and the evolution of key ideas about international economic and social development nurtured under UN auspices. Weiss conceived the "Third United Nations," and directed the research team that popularized the concept of

Responsibility to Protect The Responsibility to Protect (R2P or RtoP) is a global political commitment which was endorsed by all member states of the United Nations at the 2005 World Summit in order to address its four key concerns to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic ...

(R2P). A firm believer in R2P, Weiss has argued in numerous works that a well-grounded interpretation of

sovereignty Sovereignty is the defining authority within individual consciousness, social construct, or territory. Sovereignty entails hierarchy within the state, as well as external autonomy for states. In any state, sovereignty is assigned to the perso ...

does not preclude intervention in the face of mass atrocities. His oral history transcript is available on the UN Intellectual History Project website.

Biography

Weiss received his BA from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

and both his MA and PhD from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

. He pursued advanced studies at the

Graduate Institute of International Studies Graduate may refer to: Education * The subject of a graduation, i.e. someone awarded an academic degree ** Alumnus, a former student who has either attended or graduated from an institution * High school graduate, someone who has completed hi ...

, Geneva. He held professional posts in the Office of the

UN Commissioner for Namibia United Nations Commissioner for South West Africa was a post created by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1966 to assert the UN's direct responsibility for South West Africa which was then under illegal occupation by apartheid South Af ...

, the University Program at the Institute for World Order, the

United Nations Institute for Training and Research The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a dedicated training arm of the United Nations system. UNITAR provides training and capacity development activities to assist mainly developing countries with special attention ...

, and the

International Labour Organization The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and o ...

. He served as a Senior Economic Affairs Officer at the

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is an intergovernmental organization within the United Nations Secretariat that promotes the interests of developing countries in world trade. It was established in 1964 by the ...

in Geneva from 1975 until 1985. After leaving UNCTAD, he became Executive Director of the International Peace Academy (now the

International Peace Institute The International Peace Institute (IPI, formerly the International Peace Academy) is an independent non-profit lobby group based in New York (beside the headquarters of the United Nations, with which IPI works closely). The institute has regional ...

), until he left in 1989 to become Research Professor at

Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...

and Associate Director of their

Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs is an interdisciplinary research center at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Its mission is to promote a just and peaceful world through research, teaching, and public engagement ...

. He was also Executive Director of the Academic Council on the United Nations System ( ACUNS) from 1992 and 1998, and co-director of the Humanitarianism and War Project. From 2012 to 2015, he was a Visiting Research Professor at

SOAS, University of London SOAS University of London (; the School of Oriental and African Studies) is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. Founded in 1916, SOAS is located in the Bloomsbury are ...

. Weiss was director of the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies from 2001 to 2014. For over forty years he has regularly taught, lectured, consulted on, and conducted research on a wide variety of issues in international relations.

Contributions

He served as an advisory board member for the

Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect The Responsibility to Protect (R2P or RtoP) is a global political commitment which was endorsed by all member states of the United Nations at the 2005 World Summit in order to address its four key concerns to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic ...

from 2007-2014 and sits on the editorial boards of ''Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding'', ''

Third World Quarterly ''Third World Quarterly'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by Routledge, established in 1979. , its editor-in-chief is Shahid Qadir. It was published eight times per year until 2011 when publication increased to ten times per year. It ...

'', ''

Global Governance Global governance refers to institutions that coordinate the behavior of transnational actors, facilitate cooperation, resolve disputes, and alleviate collective action problems. Global governance broadly entails making, monitoring, and enfor ...

'', and ''Global Responsibility to Protect''. He is, along with

Rorden Wilkinson Rorden Wilkinson FAcSS FRSA (born 13 February 1970) is a British academic and author. He is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Professor of International Political Economy at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. He was previously Pro Vice- ...

, co-editor of Routledge's "Global Institutions Series." His prior positions include: * Director of the United Nations Intellectual History Project, with Louis Emmerij and Richard Jolly, 1999-2010. In addition to overseeing seventeen volumes and 80 oral histories of ideas in the United Nations, the three directors notably introduced the idea that there are "three United Nations." * Research Director of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty, 2000-2002. This initiative popularized the concept of the "responsibility to protect," and Weiss co-authored the supplementary volume—which traced the ethics, assessed the operational mechanics, and analyzed the political dimensions of the undertaking—that accompanied the final report of the commission. * President of the International Studies Association, the preeminent professional association of scholars of international politics, 2009–2010, and recipient of it
2016 International Organization Distinguished Scholar Award
* Chair of the Academic Council on the United Nations System, 2007-2009. * Editor, Global Governance, 2000-2005. * Director of The Future United Development Systems Project, with Stephen Browne, 2011-2017. * Director of the Wartime United Nations Project, with

Dan Plesch Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa **Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivo ...

, 2011-2015.

Academic work

Weiss has authored or edited some 60 books and 275 articles and book chapters. His research interests focus primarily on the United Nations,

humanitarianism Humanitarianism is an active belief in the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotional ...

human rights Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...

, the

doctrine, and the power of ideas in shaping world order. Weiss's books from the 21st century include (most recent editions are listed): * Weiss, Thomas G. and James Cuno, eds. (2022). ''Cultural Heritage and Mass Atrocities etty Publicationshttps://www.getty.edu/publications/cultural-heritage-mass-atrocities/. * Weiss, Thomas G. and Rorden Wilkinson, eds. (2021). ''Global Governance Futures'' outledgehttps://www.routledge.com/Global-Governance-Futures/Weiss-Wilkinson/p/book/9780367689735. * Weiss, Thomas G. and Tatiana Carayannis (2021). ''The “Third” United Nations: How a Knowledge Ecology Helps the UN Think'' xfordhttps://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-third-united-nations-9780198855859?q=carayannis&lang=en&cc=us *Weiss, Thomas G. and Stephen Browne, eds. (2021). ''Routledge Handbook on the UN and Development'' outledgehttps://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Handbook-on-the-UN-and-Development/Browne-Weiss/p/book/9780367186852 * Weiss, Thomas G. and

(2019). "''Rethinking Global Governance"'' olity Press http://politybooks.com/bookdetail/?isbn=9781509527236 * Weiss, Thomas G. and Sam Daws, eds. (2018). "''The Oxford Handbook on the UN"'' Second Edition xford Press https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-on-the-united-nations-9780198803164?q=weiss%20daws&lang=en&cc=gb# *Weiss, Thomas G. (2018). "''Would the World Be Better without the UN?"'' olity ,http://politybooks.com/bookdetail/?isbn=9781509517251 * Weiss, Thomas G. and Rorden Wilkinson, eds. ''(2018). International Organization and Global Governance,'' Second Edition outledge ,https://www.routledge.com/International-Organization-and-Global-Governance-2nd-Edition/Weiss-Wilkinson/p/book/9781138236585. * Weiss, Thomas G. and Danielle Zach, eds. (2018). ''70 Years of the United Nations in International Affairs: United Nations Virtual Issue,'' an online compendium of ''International Affairs'', available at https://academic.oup.com/ia/pages/united_nations * Weiss, Thomas G.; Hoffman, Peter J. (2018) "Humanitarianism, War, and Politics" First Edition owman & Littlefield , https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442266131/Humanitarianism-War-and-Politics-Solferino-to-Syria-and-Beyond * Weiss, Thomas G.; Roy, Pallavi, eds. (2017) "The UN and the Global South, 1945 and 2015", First Edition outledge , https://www.routledge.com/The-UN-and-the-Global-South-1945-and-2015/Weiss-Roy/p/book/9781138222922 * Weiss, Thomas G.; Forsythe, David P.; Coate, Roger; Kelly-Kate Pease (2017), ''The United Nations and Changing World Politics'', Eighth Edition, estview Press , https://westviewpress.com/books/the-united-nations-and-changing-world-politics/. * Weiss, Thomas G. (2016), ''What's Wrong With the United Nations and How to Fix It'', Third Edition, iley , http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1509507434.html. * Weiss, Thomas G. (2016), ''Humanitarian Intervention: Ideas in Action'', Third Edition, olity Press
http://www.polity.co.uk/book.asp?ref=9780745659800
* Weiss, Thomas G.; Abdenur, Adriana Erthal, eds. (2016), ''Emerging Powers and the UN: What Kind of Development Partnership?,'' outledge , https://www.routledge.com/products/9781138947320. * Plesch, Dan; Weiss, Thomas G., eds. (2015), ''Wartime Origins and The Future United Nations'', outledge , http://www.sponpress.com/books/details/9780415712675/. For interview see https://soundcloud.com/siriusxm-news-issues/thomas-weiss-wartime-origins-and-the-future-united-nations. * Weiss, Thomas G. ''Governing the World? Addressing "Problems without Passports"'' (2014), aradigm , http://www.paradigmpublishers.com/Books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=393776 * Weiss, Thomas G.; Browne, Stephen, eds. (2014), ''Post-2015 UN Development: Making change happen'' outledge , http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415856638/. * Weiss, Thomas G.; Serrano, Monica, eds. (2014),''The International Politics of Human Rights: Rallying to the R2P C-use?'' outledge , http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415626347/. * Weiss, Thomas G.; Wilkinson, Rorden, eds. (2014), ''International Organization and Global Governance'', outledge . * Weiss, Thomas G. (2013), ''Global Governance: Why? What? Whither'', olity Press , http://www.polity.co.uk/book.asp?ref=9780745660455. * Weiss, Thomas G. (2013), ''Humanitarian Business'', olity Press , http://www.polity.co.uk/book.asp?ref=9780745663319. * Barnett, Michael; Weiss, Thomas G. (2011), ''Humanitarianism Contested: Where Angels Fear to Tread'', outledge , http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415496643/. * Mani, Rama; Weiss, Thomas G., eds. (2011), ''Responsibility to Protect: Cultural Perspectives in the Global South'',

Routledge Routledge () is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law, and ...

, , http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415781855/. * Weiss, Thomas G. (2011), ''Thinking about Global Governance, Why People and Ideas Matter'',

, , http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415781930/. * Weiss, Thomas G.; Thakur, Ramesh (2010), ''Global Governance and the UN: An Unfinished Journey'',

Indiana University Press Indiana University Press, also known as IU Press, is an academic publisher founded in 1950 at Indiana University that specializes in the humanities and social sciences. Its headquarters are located in Bloomington, Indiana. IU Press publishes 140 ...

, , http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?products_id=145358. * Boulden, Jane; Thakur, Ramesh; Weiss, Thomas G., eds. (2009), ''The United Nations and Nuclear Orders'', nited Nations University Press , https://unp.un.org/bookshop/details.aspx?sku=9789280811674. * Jolly, Richard; Emmerij, Louis; and Weiss, Thomas G. (2009), ''UN Ideas That Changed the World'', ndiana University Press , http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?products_id=95548. * Barnett, Michael; Weiss, Thomas G., eds. (2008), ''Humanitarianism in Question: Politics, Power, Ethics'', ornell University Press , http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/?GCOI=80140100666490. * Weiss, Thomas G.; Daws, Sam, eds. (2007), ''The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations'' xford University Press , http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199560103.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199560103. * Weiss, Thomas G.; with Korn, David A. (2006) ''Internal Displacement: Conceptualization and Its Consequences'',

, , http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415770798/. * Hoffman, Peter J.; Weiss, Thomas G. (2006), ''Sword & Salve: Confronting New Wars and Humanitarian Crises'', owman & Littlefield . * Weiss, Thomas G. (2004), ''Military-Civilian Interactions: Humanitarian Crises and the Responsibility to Protect'', Second Edition,

Rowman & Littlefield Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns the book distributing compa ...

, . * Weiss, Thomas G.; Caryannis, Tatiana; Emmerij, Louis; and Jolly, Richard (2005), ''UN Voices: The Struggle for Development and Social Justice'', ndiana University Press , http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?products_id=22228. * Weiss, Thomas G., Crahan, Margaret E.; Goering, John, eds. (2004), ''Wars on Terrorism and Iraq: Human Rights, Unilateralism, and U.S. Foreign Policy'', outledge , http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415700634/. * Boulden, Jane; Weiss, Thomas G., eds. (2004), ''Terrorism and the UN: Before and After September 11'',

, , http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?products_id=21665. * Weiss, Thomas G., Hubert, Don (2002) ''The Responsibility to Protect: Research, Bibliography, Background'', nternational Development Research Centre , http://web.idrc.ca/en/ev-9439-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html. * Louis Emmerij; Jolly, Richard; and Weiss, Thomas G. (2001), ''Ahead of the Curve?: UN Ideas and Global Challenges'', ndiana University Press , http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?products_id=21187. * Aall, Pamela; Miltenberger, Daniel; Weiss, Thomas G. (2000), ''Guide to IGOs, NGOs, and the Military in Peace and Relief Operations'', S Institute of Peace .

Lectures, talks, and interviews

* Thomas G. Weiss presentation of his new book "Would the World Be Better without the UN?" followed by Q&A, from the Korean Foundation for Advanced Studies http://ralphbuncheinstitute.org/2018/06/11/thomas-weiss-on-his-new-book-would-the-world-be-better-without-the-un/ * The new UN Secretary General faces harrowing challenges: an interview with The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/video/new-un-secretary-general-faces-harrowing-challenges/C8EF89CA-1B1C-4EE6-AAD1-24D9F0091127.html * In November 2016, the semi-annual publication of the entire City University of New York System was devoted to faculty award recipients. "Salute to Scholars" featured him and the award on pp. 56–57, also available at http://www2.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/news/publications/includes/salute-to-scholars/Salute-to-Scholars-Faculty-Awards-2016.pdf. * "As UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon is toward the Bottom", ''The Hankyoreh'', 20 June 2016
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/748952.html.
* Thomas G. Weiss and Stephen Browne wrote for MUNPlanet about the challenges that lay ahead the post-2015 development agenda
Whither Post-2015 UN Development?

"United Nations is very cost-effective", SNBC, 18 November 2015, http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000456012.
* "Humanitarian Business", Center for Global Ethics and Politics, 20 February 2014
http://cgep.ws.gc.cuny.edu/cgep-video/thomas-g-weiss/.
* ISA's Presidents Series, International Studies Association, 2010
http://www.isanet.org/Programs/PRC/Short-Term-Release-2.

References

External links

Thomas G. Weiss and Roden Wilkinson's article "Rethinking Global Governance? Complexity, Authority, Power, Change" was the most cited piece in International Studies Quarterly

Thomas G. Weiss's faculty profile at City University of New York.

The United Nations Intellectual History Project website

The FP Survey: The United Nations, "an exclusive poll of top experts" that includes Thomas G. Weiss

SOAS, University of London, Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD)

Future United Nations Development System (FUNDS) Project
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weiss, Thomas Living people 1946 births International relations scholars Princeton University alumni Harvard University alumni Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies alumni Brown University faculty American officials of the United Nations